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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rush — hurry
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bound — obliged
  9. object — an aim
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. key — for a lock
  12. dip — to sink
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bound — certain
  16. object — a thing
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. foot — a measure
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. key — in music
  22. deal — to handle
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. object — to protest

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