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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. game — wild animals
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. lie — to recline
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. present — the time now
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. present — there
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. game — a match
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bulb — for light
  24. present — a gift

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