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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cue — for pool
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bear — the animal
  14. current — happening now
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. file — a document
  21. current — electric
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. current — 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