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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. present — there
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. object — a thing
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. field — farmland
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. present — a gift
  13. object — to protest
  14. field — for sport
  15. present — the time now
  16. field — a subject
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. deal — to handle
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. snap — to click
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. object — an aim

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