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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. last — finally
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. shower — rain
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. last — final
  9. shower — to wash
  10. snap — to click
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bear — the animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. vault — a safe
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bear — the animal
  24. saw — the tool

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