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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. can — a tin
  3. mark — a grade
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. firm — a company
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. can — to be able to
  8. firm — decided
  9. wound — an injury
  10. degree — temperature
  11. mark — a trace
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — from a university
  14. wound — an injury
  15. can — a tin
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. hand — help
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. firm — steady

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