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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rest — what's left
  5. snap — to click
  6. rest — a break
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. perch — the fish
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mug — a cup
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. dip — to sink
  15. season — in sport
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mug — a face
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rest — what's left
  21. season — of the year
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. mug — to rob
  24. perch — for a bird

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