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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. pit — in a race
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pop — music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fork — in a road
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pop — to visit
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. chest — of your body
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. track — a path
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a song
  24. pop — soda

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