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 120 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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. deal — to handle
  3. firm — a company
  4. march — the month
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. kid — child
  8. ball — a dance
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — rain
  11. bass — low music
  12. kid — to tease
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. march — the month
  16. bass — the fish
  17. march — music
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. ball — a great time
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. hide — animal skin

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