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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pop — to visit
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. pop — music
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pop — soda
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. ground — crushed
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ground — a position
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. hand — in cards
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. tube — a container
  19. toast — bread
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. tube — the underground
  23. ground — the earth
  24. hand — help

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