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 116 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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. shower — to wash
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. band — a music group
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. present — a gift
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. band — a ring
  9. shower — rain
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. present — the time now
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. lie — to recline
  15. present — there
  16. bat — the animal
  17. court — of a king
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of law
  24. leaves — to go away

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