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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. can — to be able to
  3. kick — in football
  4. rock — music
  5. net — in sport
  6. rock — a stone
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. net — after costs
  9. cell — a phone
  10. deal — to handle
  11. can — a tin
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. club — for golf
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. stand — to bear
  18. club — for dancing
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cell — in biology
  21. net — for catching
  22. can — a tin
  23. club — a group
  24. stand — for spectators

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