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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bear — the animal
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fall — the season
  13. rash — hasty
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rash — a series
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. fall — to drop
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. squash — to crush

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