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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pit — in a race
  4. game — wild animals
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. net — in sport
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. net — after costs
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pit — a hole
  17. game — a match
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. net — for catching

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