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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. mate — to breed
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mate — a friend
  5. dip — to sink
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mate — a partner
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. snap — to click
  14. squash — the sport
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wave — with your hand
  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