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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · bowl · present · mark · deal · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. present — there
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. tear — from crying

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