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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. press — newspapers
  4. file — a tool
  5. kid — to tease
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. press — to push
  8. rest — a break
  9. file — a line of people
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. rest — what's left
  14. capital — money
  15. file — a document
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. press — a publisher
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. kid — child
  20. rest — what's left
  21. capital — a city
  22. fine — all right
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. fine — high quality

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