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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. current — happening now
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. drill — a practice
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — hasty
  8. current — of water
  9. dip — to sink
  10. game — wild animals
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. drill — army training
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — a match
  16. court — of law
  17. current — electric
  18. wound — an injury
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wound — an injury
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. drill — the tool

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