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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. land — a country
  3. bat — the animal
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. dip — to sink
  8. deal — to handle
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stand — to bear
  15. land — to come down
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. lean — thin
  18. land — ground
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pit — a hole
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. pit — in a race

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