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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rock — music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rest — what's left
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. fall — the season
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. fall — to drop
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rest — what's left
  11. board — a committee
  12. rock — a stone
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. wax — to grow
  16. snap — to click
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rest — a break
  19. fall — to drop
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. deal — an agreement

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