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 120 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. band — a music group
  6. lie — to recline
  7. band — a ring
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. foot — a measure
  14. sharp — clever
  15. suit — clothes
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. deal — to handle
  24. foot — the bottom

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