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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. deal — to handle
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. content — the amount
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. object — a thing
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. object — to protest
  16. content — happy
  17. object — an aim
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rule — government
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rule — a law
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. content — videos and posts

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