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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. club — for golf
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bat — the animal
  7. club — for dancing
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. club — a group
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bear — the animal
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rush — to hurry

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