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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. key — for a lock
  8. capital — money
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wound — an injury
  12. swing — in golf
  13. key — in music
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rule — government
  20. date — the fruit
  21. swing — music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. rule — a law

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