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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bore — to tire
  4. pop — music
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. snap — to click
  7. pop — soda
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. game — a match
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pop — to visit
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. sharp — clever
  23. game — wild animals
  24. sharp — exactly

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