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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. wake — a trail
  3. press — to push
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cue — a hint
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. press — newspapers
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. drill — the tool
  19. press — a publisher
  20. cue — for pool
  21. hand — help
  22. cue — a signal
  23. snap — to click
  24. nail — for a hammer

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