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 116 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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. drill — a practice
  3. key — for a lock
  4. drill — army training
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rule — government
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rule — a law
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. row — to paddle
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mark — a grade
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bass — low music
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. key — in music
  21. row — a line
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bass — the fish
  24. drill — the tool

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