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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. stem — to come from
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. fall — to drop
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. fall — the season

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