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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rush — hurry
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bear — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. hand — help
  22. band — a music group
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. band — a ring

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