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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bass — low music
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. kid — child
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. stock — shares
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mug — a face
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mine — for digging
  19. kid — to tease
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bass — the fish

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