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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. lean — to bend
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. snap — to click
  16. wake — a trail
  17. lean — thin
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. object — a thing
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. lean — to rest against

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