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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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. safe — out of danger
  3. rash — a series
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rash — hasty
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rule — government
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. track — a song
  12. clip — for paper
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. clip — a video
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. suit — in cards
  20. snap — to click
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. clip — to cut
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rule — a law

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