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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. board — to get on
  3. object — to protest
  4. drill — army training
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. object — an aim
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. drill — a practice
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. object — a thing
  19. fall — to drop
  20. drill — the tool
  21. board — a committee
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. board — a flat piece

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