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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. face — to confront
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. spring — of water
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. face — to point toward
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. spring — the season
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. prune — to trim
  17. spring — a coil
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rock — a stone
  24. coach — a trainer

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