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 · stem · wound · swing · rock · fan · wind · board

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rock — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wound — an injury
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. board — a committee
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wind — moving air
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. board — to get on
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wound — an injury
  21. swing — music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. deal — to handle

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