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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. drill — the tool
  7. key — for a lock
  8. drill — a practice
  9. rock — a stone
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. key — the most important part
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. drill — army training
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. prune — to trim
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rock — music
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bowl — a football final

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