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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pitch — completely
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. face — part of the head
  9. race — humankind
  10. face — to point toward
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. race — a contest
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. face — to confront
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pound — to hit hard

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