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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. content — happy
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. current — electric
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bass — the fish
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bass — low music
  16. fork — in a road
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. content — the amount
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. arm — a part of something

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