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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. shower — to wash
  3. kid — child
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bulb — for light
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — rain
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — to point toward
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kid — to tease
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rush — hurry

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