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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. net — in sport
  4. snap — to click
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. net — after costs
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. deal — to handle
  11. vault — a safe
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mine — for digging
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. net — for catching
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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