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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pop — music
  3. fall — to drop
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bank — of a river
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. foot — a measure
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wound — an injury
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. wound — an injury
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bank — for money
  16. pop — to visit
  17. perch — the fish
  18. fall — the season
  19. pop — soda
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bank — for money
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. foot — part of the body

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