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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fine — high quality
  4. snap — to click
  5. rash — a series
  6. fall — the season
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. chip — for betting
  9. object — a thing
  10. band — a ring
  11. object — an aim
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. object — to protest
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. dip — to sink
  17. band — a music group
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. fine — all right
  21. rash — hasty
  22. fall — to drop
  23. chip — to eat
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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