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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bank — of a river
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bank — for money
  6. bear — the animal
  7. scale — in music
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. snap — to click
  12. perch — the fish
  13. deal — to handle
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bear — the animal
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bank — for money
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. dip — to sink

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