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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. mug — a cup
  5. season — in sport
  6. drill — the tool
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. chip — for betting
  10. deal — to handle
  11. season — of the year
  12. mug — a face
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rock — music
  16. drill — a practice
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rock — a stone
  19. hand — help
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. scale — in music
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. deal — an agreement

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