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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. mug — a cup
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pit — in a race
  6. snap — to click
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stock — goods
  11. cue — for pool
  12. squash — to crush
  13. mug — a face
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wax — to grow
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rock — music
  20. cue — a signal
  21. stock — shares
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. rock — a stone
  24. squash — the vegetable

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