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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. key — in music
  4. band — a music group
  5. prune — to trim
  6. band — a ring
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. rule — a law
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rule — government
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. swing — in golf
  23. key — for a lock
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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