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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. fork — in a road
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bear — the animal
  7. press — a publisher
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wound — an injury
  10. press — to push
  11. fine — high quality
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. face — to confront
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fine — all right
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. spell — letters
  19. face — to point toward
  20. spell — magic
  21. face — part of the head
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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