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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  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. object — a thing
  2. shower — rain
  3. rash — hasty
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. kid — to tease
  6. tube — a container
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. deal — to handle
  11. object — to protest
  12. tube — the underground
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. snap — to click
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. object — an aim
  23. rash — a series
  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