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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wind — moving air
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pound — a weight
  11. spell — magic
  12. chair — a leader
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — letters
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lie — to recline
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. pound — for dogs

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