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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. rash — a series
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. face — to point toward
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — a container
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. face — to confront
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bulb — for light
  19. deal — to handle
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rash — hasty
  24. face — part of the head

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