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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. chest — a box
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. deal — to handle
  8. suit — clothes
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. chest — of your body
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. game — a match
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. game — wild animals
  16. chest — of your body
  17. suit — to fit
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. chair — a leader
  20. suit — in cards
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. chair — a professorship

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