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: bark · can · straw · deal · ground · dip · tube · pop

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. can — a tin
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ground — the earth
  6. can — a tin
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pop — soda
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. tube — the underground
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pop — music
  19. can — to be able to
  20. tube — a container
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ground — a position

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