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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. deal — to handle
  3. kick — in football
  4. squash — the sport
  5. scale — size or range
  6. board — to get on
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. squash — to crush
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. scale — in music
  19. rush — hurry
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. board — a committee
  24. rush — to hurry

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