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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. saw — the tool
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. kick — in football
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. cell — a phone
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pit — in a race
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pit — a hole
  15. cell — in biology
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. present — a gift
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. kick — with a leg
  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