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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. snap — to click
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. hand — in cards
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rash — a series
  14. scale — size or range
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. scale — in music
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. board — to get on
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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