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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fine — high quality
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. wake — a trail
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. season — of the year
  13. squash — to crush
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. tube — the underground
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. season — in sport
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. fine — all right
  23. tube — a container
  24. squash — the sport

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