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: hand · straw · deal · rule · squash · mug · rash · can

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rule — government
  3. deal — to handle
  4. can — a tin
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rash — a series
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. can — a tin
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mug — to rob
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. hand — help
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. can — to be able to
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rule — a law
  22. mug — a cup
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. deal — a big deal

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