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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. chip — to eat
  3. row — to paddle
  4. ground — crushed
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. spell — a short time
  8. ground — a position
  9. spell — magic
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. present — the time now
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. spell — letters
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. ground — the earth
  21. present — a gift
  22. row — a line
  23. snap — to click
  24. chip — for betting

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