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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. track — a song
  8. content — happy
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. club — for golf
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rest — a break
  17. club — a group
  18. track — a path
  19. content — the amount
  20. bore — to drill
  21. track — to keep track
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bore — to tire
  24. deal — an agreement

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