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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. spring — of water
  5. charge — a price
  6. wind — moving air
  7. charge — electricity
  8. spring — a coil
  9. cue — for pool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. cue — a hint
  13. spring — the season
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cue — a signal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. shower — rain
  19. charge — in control
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. deal — to handle
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. deal — a big deal

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