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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. net — in sport
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bass — the fish
  6. content — happy
  7. snap — to click
  8. net — for catching
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. content — the amount
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pit — in a race
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. net — after costs
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bass — low music
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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