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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. pass — a permit
  4. stand — to bear
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. roll — a list
  13. lean — thin
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. roll — a cake
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. tube — a container
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. deal — to handle
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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