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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. clip — for paper
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to click
  13. clip — a video
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rash — a series
  17. suit — to fit
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. suit — clothes

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