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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. file — a tool
  3. wake — a trail
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bore — to tire
  6. chip — for betting
  7. file — a document
  8. bore — to drill
  9. chip — to eat
  10. lie — to recline
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. craft — boats
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. file — a line of people
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. roll — a list
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. snap — to click

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