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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pop — music
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. roll — a list
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. lie — to recline
  15. dip — to sink
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. roll — a cake
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — for digging
  22. pop — soda
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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