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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. net — in sport
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. ground — the earth
  10. firm — steady
  11. net — for catching
  12. cue — for pool
  13. ground — a position
  14. pound — a weight
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wake — a trail
  22. ground — crushed
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. net — after costs

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