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 116 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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. hand — help
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bark — to shout
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. chip — to eat

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