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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. cap — a lid
  5. lean — thin
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. swing — in golf
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pass — a permit
  11. swing — music
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cap — of ice
  15. swing — to play on
  16. cap — a hat
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — a series
  20. lean — to bend
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wake — a trail

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