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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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. spell — a short time
  3. firm — decided
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. ground — a position
  6. bat — the animal
  7. ground — crushed
  8. firm — a company
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. ground — the earth
  12. spell — magic
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. spell — letters
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. cue — a hint
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cue — a signal
  20. firm — steady
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. snap — to click
  23. cue — for pool
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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