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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — a position
  6. stock — goods
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bat — the animal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. snap — to click
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lean — thin
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stock — shares
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wake — a trail

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