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: row · deal · staff · scale · suit · season · nail · wind

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wind — moving air
  5. season — in sport
  6. deal — to handle
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. staff — employees
  10. wind — moving air
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. staff — a stick
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. row — a line
  16. scale — size or range
  17. staff — employees
  18. season — of the year
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. row — to paddle
  24. scale — in music

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