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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cap — of ice
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rule — a law
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. snap — to click
  9. capital — a city
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rule — government
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. capital — money

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