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: sharp · fall · scale · bound · wind · bowl · deal · fan

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bound — obliged
  3. scale — in music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bound — certain
  14. fall — the season
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bound — tied together
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wind — moving air
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fall — to drop
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fan — to cool the air

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