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: calf · saw · deal · bear · mouse · ball · straw · stand

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  3. bear — the animal
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bear — the animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ball — a great time
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. deal — to handle
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  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