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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. spring — the season
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. present — a gift
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. present — there
  7. club — a group
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. spring — a coil
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rush — hurry
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. club — for dancing
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. present — the time now
  19. club — for golf
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. tube — a container
  24. spring — of water

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