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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wound — an injury
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. hand — in cards
  6. key — in music
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. press — a publisher
  15. stock — goods
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. stock — shares
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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