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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. press — newspapers
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. press — to push
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. deal — to handle
  7. lean — thin
  8. board — to get on
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. press — a publisher
  12. drill — the tool
  13. kid — child
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. capital — money
  16. drill — army training
  17. capital — a city
  18. bulb — for light
  19. kid — to tease
  20. board — a committee
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. lean — to bend

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