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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. fall — to drop
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mug — to rob
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fall — the season
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. field — for sport
  12. board — a committee
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. field — farmland
  15. fall — to drop
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. board — to get on
  19. saw — the tool
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mug — a face
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. field — a subject

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