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: bear · stick · deal · wound · object · rock · face · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. face — to confront
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. object — a thing
  11. wound — an injury
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. net — in sport
  15. rock — a stone
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. net — after costs
  18. wound — an injury
  19. deal — to handle
  20. object — an aim
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. object — to protest

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