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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. suit — to fit
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. hand — help
  10. pit — in a race
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rock — music
  13. hand — in cards
  14. deal — to handle
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. suit — clothes
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bass — low music
  24. rock — a stone

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