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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. game — wild animals
  3. drill — a practice
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ground — the earth
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. drill — the tool
  11. ground — crushed
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. can — a tin
  14. drill — army training
  15. can — a tin
  16. season — of the year
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. deal — to handle
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ground — a position

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