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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. sharp — clever
  7. squash — the sport
  8. chair — a leader
  9. dip — to sink
  10. row — a line
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. row — to paddle
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pass — to spend time

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