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: rush · lean · jam · roll · pop · deal · fork · ground

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. roll — a list
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. roll — a cake
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pop — music
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pop — soda
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ground — a position
  17. lean — to bend
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pop — to visit
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lean — thin
  23. fork — in a road
  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