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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bat — the animal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. chip — for betting
  9. board — a committee
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bank — of a river
  17. snap — to click
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. board — to get on
  22. bank — for money
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bank — for money

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