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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mark — a grade
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. firm — a company
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. spell — letters
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. firm — steady
  12. key — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — magic
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. scale — size or range
  19. mark — a trace
  20. scale — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. firm — decided
  23. key — for a lock
  24. deal — an agreement

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