ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fine — high quality
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. game — a match
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. field — a subject
  16. roll — a list
  17. field — for sport
  18. deal — to handle
  19. swing — to play on
  20. roll — a cake
  21. game — wild animals
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. field — farmland
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com