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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mug — a face
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. mug — to rob
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. shower — rain
  15. mug — a cup
  16. hand — in cards
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. shower — to wash
  22. hand — help
  23. deal — to handle
  24. hand — part of the body

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