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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. march — the month
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. fine — all right
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ground — crushed
  9. current — of water
  10. lie — to recline
  11. shower — to wash
  12. current — electric
  13. shower — rain
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. current — happening now
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ground — the earth
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. ground — a position
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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