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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. snap — to click
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bear — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bear — the animal
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rest — a break
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fall — the season
  17. can — a tin
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. squash — the sport
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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