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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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. pitcher — a jug
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. current — of water
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. snap — to click
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. board — a committee
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — to get on
  18. current — electric
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. current — happening now
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bulb — for light

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