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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. snap — to click
  8. current — of water
  9. pit — in a race
  10. race — a contest
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. race — the arms race
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. current — happening now
  18. race — humankind
  19. fall — to drop
  20. current — electric
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pass — a permit
  23. fall — the season
  24. bulb — for light

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