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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stock — shares
  4. bore — to drill
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — music
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. stock — goods
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bore — to tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. deal — to handle
  18. roll — a list
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. roll — a cake
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. tube — a container
  23. swing — in golf
  24. trunk — of a car

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