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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. mug — to rob
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. object — a thing
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. object — an aim
  10. wind — moving air
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. object — to protest
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. snap — to click
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wind — moving air
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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