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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. drill — army training
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. drill — the tool
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bass — low music
  11. rock — music
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. stem — to come from
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. rest — a break

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