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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. file — a line of people
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. tube — a container
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. hand — help
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. hand — in cards
  18. file — a tool
  19. row — to paddle
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. row — a line
  22. file — a document
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rock — music

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