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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. snap — to click
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. last — to go on
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. last — finally
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. fan — a supporter

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