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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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 — to handle
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. current — happening now
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chip — to eat
  9. current — electric
  10. current — of water
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. prune — to trim
  14. vault — a safe
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. file — a line of people
  17. roll — a list
  18. lie — to recline
  19. file — a tool
  20. roll — a cake
  21. file — a document
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. chip — for betting
  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