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: deal · bear · scale · present · rule · swing · current · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. current — of water
  5. pop — to visit
  6. swing — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. current — happening now
  13. present — a gift
  14. pop — soda
  15. scale — in music
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. swing — in golf
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rule — government
  22. scale — size or range
  23. swing — to play on
  24. current — electric

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