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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. shower — rain
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wound — an injury
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. dip — to sink
  10. band — a ring
  11. shower — to wash
  12. craft — boats
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rash — hasty
  19. craft — a skill
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. rush — hurry
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rash — a series

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