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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bank — for money
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. charge — electricity
  7. swing — music
  8. net — after costs
  9. swing — in golf
  10. net — for catching
  11. lie — to recline
  12. deal — to handle
  13. charge — a price
  14. net — in sport
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. charge — in control
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. lie — an untruth

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