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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. last — final
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. last — finally
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. last — to go on
  8. drill — the tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fine — all right
  15. dip — to sink
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — a practice
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fine — high quality
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. snap — to click

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