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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. club — a group
  6. can — to be able to
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. can — a tin
  10. current — of water
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. current — electric
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. current — happening now
  21. club — for golf
  22. can — a tin
  23. saw — the tool
  24. kick — with a leg

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