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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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. bowl — to roll
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. deal — to handle
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. race — humankind
  9. fine — high quality
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. sharp — clever
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. race — the arms race
  19. fine — all right
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. race — a contest
  23. bowl — a dish
  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