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 · can · saw · cue · date · tear · cell · wind

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cell — in biology
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cell — a phone
  7. can — a tin
  8. date — the fruit
  9. cue — a hint
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. tear — to rip
  16. wind — moving air
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. wind — moving air
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. cue — a signal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — from crying
  24. deal — a big deal

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