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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. cap — a hat
  5. club — for dancing
  6. content — happy
  7. content — the amount
  8. club — for golf
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. rest — what's left
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. face — to confront
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. roll — a list
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rest — a break
  18. club — a group
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rush — hurry
  22. roll — a cake
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. deal — to handle

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