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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rule — a law
  6. wake — a trail
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. wind — moving air
  9. game — wild animals
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rule — government
  14. pit — a hole
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. snap — to click
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. game — a match
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wind — moving air
  22. kick — in football
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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