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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. pound — a weight
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. branch — a division
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. kid — to tease
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. kid — child
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — of a bank

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