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 124 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. present — the time now
  3. rush — hurry
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. squash — the sport
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. present — there
  13. charge — in control
  14. present — a gift
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. charge — a price
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. saw — the tool
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wound — an injury
  21. saw — the tool
  22. squash — to crush
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wound — an injury

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