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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rule — a law
  6. pit — in a race
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cue — a hint
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. cue — for pool
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. rule — government
  23. plane — a tool
  24. pit — a hole

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