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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wound — an injury
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stock — shares
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mug — a face
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wound — an injury
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mug — to rob
  24. stock — goods

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