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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. pound — a weight
  11. spring — the season
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. spell — letters
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — a short time
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. spring — a coil
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. deal — to handle
  23. spring — of water
  24. mine — for digging

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