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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bank — for money
  3. rock — a stone
  4. tear — from crying
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. swing — in golf
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tear — from crying
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. tear — to rip
  14. row — to paddle
  15. swing — music
  16. bank — of a river
  17. row — a line
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bank — for money
  24. rock — music

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