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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rock — music
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mark — a grade
  8. kick — in football
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. swing — music
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. pop — music
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pop — soda
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mark — a trace
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bear — the animal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rush — hurry

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