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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. hand — in cards
  3. spring — a coil
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. hand — help
  7. swing — to play on
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. swing — music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pop — soda
  15. spring — of water
  16. fine — all right
  17. pop — music
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. swing — in golf
  21. spring — the season
  22. pop — to visit
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. deal — to handle

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