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 120 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: band · deal · row · spring · cap · can · stick · arm

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. row — to paddle
  5. deal — to handle
  6. can — to be able to
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. spring — of water
  9. cap — of ice
  10. band — a ring
  11. spring — the season
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. cap — a lid
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. can — a tin
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. cap — a hat
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. can — a tin
  21. spring — a coil
  22. band — a music group
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. row — a line

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