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 124 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wake — a trail
  8. club — for golf
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. snap — to click
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bass — the fish
  14. club — for dancing
  15. rock — a stone
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mine — for digging
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. club — a group
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. rock — music
  24. ruler — a monarch

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