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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pound — a weight
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. game — a match
  14. wake — a trail
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cap — a hat
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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