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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. object — an aim
  3. rule — a law
  4. drill — army training
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bass — the fish
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rule — government
  10. bass — low music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. wound — an injury
  15. object — to protest
  16. drill — a practice
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. object — a thing
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. drill — the tool

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