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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. cold — not warm
  8. lean — to bend
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. cold — an illness
  13. pass — a permit
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. kick — in football
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mug — to rob
  22. lean — thin
  23. bass — low music
  24. pass — to spend time

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