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

Word bank: deal · wind · stick · ground · hide · bowl

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. ground — a position
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wind — moving air
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. ground — crushed

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