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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. land — to come down
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. firm — decided
  7. snap — to click
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. firm — steady
  10. land — a country
  11. firm — a company
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. root — of a word
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. root — the cause
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. deal — to handle
  21. land — ground
  22. bark — to shout
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fan — a supporter

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