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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. snap — to click
  3. cue — a hint
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. face — to point toward
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. row — to paddle
  10. face — to confront
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. row — a line
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. face — part of the head
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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