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: suit · bear · stick · spring · cabinet · ball · land · deal

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. land — a country
  4. spring — of water
  5. suit — in cards
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. land — ground
  10. suit — clothes
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spring — the season
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bear — the animal
  19. land — to come down
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cabinet — ministers

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