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 120 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. clip — for paper
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. snap — to click
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. clip — a video
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. clip — to cut
  21. chip — for betting
  22. staff — a stick
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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