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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bore — to drill
  4. swing — music
  5. wake — a trail
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bore — to tire
  14. toast — bread
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. deal — to handle
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bark — to shout
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bore — gave birth

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