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 116 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. current — happening now
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wound — an injury
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bulb — for light
  11. dip — to sink
  12. current — electric
  13. face — to confront
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — in cards
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. lie — to recline
  18. face — to point toward
  19. current — of water
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. face — part of the head
  23. hand — help
  24. deal — an agreement

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