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 116 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. field — farmland
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wake — a trail
  6. vault — a safe
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. field — a subject
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. field — for sport
  17. stock — goods
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. stock — shares
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rest — a break

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