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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. snap — to click
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rule — government
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. club — for golf
  11. rule — a law
  12. game — a match
  13. plane — a tool
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bank — of a river
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. game — a kind of play

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