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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. court — for sport
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stock — shares
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. court — of law
  12. swing — music
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. deal — to handle
  15. press — to push
  16. swing — to play on
  17. press — a publisher
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. court — of a king
  20. stock — goods
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. press — newspapers
  23. swing — in golf
  24. ruler — a monarch

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