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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to click
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. wake — a trail
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. current — electric
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. chair — a leader
  10. firm — a company
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. current — happening now
  16. fork — in a road
  17. firm — steady
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. firm — decided
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. current — of water

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