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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bark — to shout
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — to play on
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spring — the season
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. spring — a coil
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. spring — of water
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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