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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. tube — the underground
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. season — in sport
  6. row — a line
  7. tube — a container
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. chair — a leader
  11. current — happening now
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. current — of water
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. deal — to handle
  21. current — electric
  22. season — of the year
  23. row — to paddle
  24. racket — for tennis

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