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 · game · pitcher · drill · swing · cap · face

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bear — the animal
  5. drill — a practice
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bear — the animal
  8. swing — music
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. swing — in golf
  13. deal — to handle
  14. drill — army training
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. swing — to play on
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — part of the head
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. game — a match
  23. drill — the tool
  24. cap — of ice

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