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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. can — a tin
  8. swing — music
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pound — a weight
  11. shower — to wash
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. scale — in music
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. scale — size or range
  16. deal — to handle
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. swing — in golf
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. swing — to play on
  23. can — a tin
  24. snap — to click

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