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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mate — a friend
  8. row — a line
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. rule — a law
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rule — government
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bore — to drill
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bear — the animal
  21. shower — rain
  22. row — to paddle
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bore — gave birth

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