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: tube · lie · deal · current · jam · court · bear · season

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bear — the animal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. current — happening now
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bear — the animal
  10. season — in sport
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — of law
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tube — a container
  16. lie — to recline
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. season — of the year
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. court — for sport
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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