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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. dip — a sauce
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rash — a series
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. staff — a stick
  9. dip — to sink
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. season — of the year
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. season — in sport
  15. hand — help
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. stand — to bear
  18. staff — employees
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. ground — the earth
  21. staff — employees
  22. rash — hasty
  23. deal — an agreement
  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