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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wind — moving air
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bore — to drill
  11. pop — soda
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. pop — music
  17. squash — to crush
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. squash — the sport
  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