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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. snap — to click
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. current — of water
  14. bat — the animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. pass — a permit
  20. current — happening now
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. current — electric

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