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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bound — obliged
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mate — to breed
  11. pit — in a race
  12. band — a music group
  13. mate — a partner
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. snap — to click
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — tied together
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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