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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. snap — to click
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fine — all right
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fine — high quality
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. rush — hurry
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. deal — to handle
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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