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: deal · wound · stick · rush · race · suit · hand · tube

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wound — an injury
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hand — help
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. race — humankind
  14. rush — hurry
  15. race — a contest
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. tube — the underground
  18. race — the arms race
  19. hand — in cards
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — a container
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. wound — an injury
  24. deal — a big deal

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