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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. cue — a signal
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. can — to be able to
  7. sharp — clever
  8. can — a tin
  9. rest — a break
  10. dip — to sink
  11. can — a tin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. deal — to handle
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bark — to shout
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. dip — a sauce

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