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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. staff — employees
  3. rule — a law
  4. hand — in cards
  5. deal — to handle
  6. staff — a stick
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. kick — in football
  9. staff — employees
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. drill — a practice
  12. can — a tin
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. ground — the earth
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — help
  17. rule — government
  18. drill — the tool
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — a position
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. drill — army training
  24. can — a tin

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