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 116 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: fall · hand · suit · root · bear · degree · bound · deal

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bound — obliged
  4. hand — help
  5. root — the cause
  6. bound — certain
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. degree — an amount
  12. hand — in cards
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — of a word
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. deal — to handle
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bound — tied together
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — temperature
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fall — the season

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