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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. plane — a tool
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. track — to keep track
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. deal — to handle
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. prune — to trim
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. calf — a young animal

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