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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rest — what's left
  4. snap — to click
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. last — finally
  7. branch — a division
  8. last — final
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mug — a cup
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rest — a break
  16. last — to go on
  17. mug — a face
  18. snap — to snap out of it

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