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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. fine — high quality
  3. deal — to handle
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. chest — a box
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. cold — not warm
  12. cold — an illness
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stand — to bear
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. dip — to sink
  24. fine — all right

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