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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. board — a committee
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. board — to get on
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lie — to recline
  12. firm — steady
  13. field — for sport
  14. firm — a company
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. firm — decided
  20. field — farmland
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. field — a subject
  24. lie — an untruth

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