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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wind — moving air
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. snap — to click
  9. wind — moving air
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pop — to visit
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pit — in a race
  17. perch — the fish
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — music
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. row — to paddle

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