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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. snap — to speak sharply
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. track — a path
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bulb — for light
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. clip — for paper
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bulb — for light
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. clip — a video
  17. snap — to click
  18. clip — to cut
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. track — a song
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rock — music
  23. track — to keep track
  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