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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. fork — in a road
  7. snap — to click
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bear — the animal
  12. current — happening now
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tube — a container
  15. hand — help
  16. tube — the underground
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. hand — in cards
  20. current — of water
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. ball — a great time
  23. current — electric
  24. tube — in a tire

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