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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fall — to drop
  6. roll — a list
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bound — obliged
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bound — tied together
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. swing — music
  15. bound — certain
  16. fall — to drop
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. roll — a cake
  19. deal — to handle
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. swing — in golf
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — a tool

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