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 · pass · spell · bowl · rule · stock · cabinet · fall

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rule — government
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. fall — the season
  15. spell — magic
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. spell — letters
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stock — shares
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. stock — goods
  24. rule — a law

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