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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  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. chair — a leader
  2. rash — a series
  3. fine — all right
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — a short time
  6. fine — high quality
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rash — hasty
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bore — to tire
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bore — to drill
  16. snap — to click
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. spell — letters
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lash — to lash out
  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