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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chip — to eat
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. swing — music
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bat — the animal
  16. chip — for betting
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. swing — to play on
  20. drill — army training
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. snap — to click
  23. drill — a practice
  24. swing — in golf

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