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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. deal — to handle
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bat — the animal
  9. mug — to rob
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. present — the time now
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. mug — a cup
  17. dip — to sink
  18. cue — for pool
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mug — a face

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