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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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. pit — in a race
  3. firm — a company
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. branch — a division
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rash — hasty
  16. firm — decided
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. snap — to click
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rash — a series
  21. pit — a hole
  22. firm — steady
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rush — to hurry

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