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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. kid — to tease
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bass — the fish
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. current — happening now
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. bass — low music
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. deal — to handle
  22. can — to be able to
  23. chair — a leader
  24. kid — child

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