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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bank — for money
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bank — for money
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. can — to be able to
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. can — a tin
  12. mug — a face
  13. bank — of a river
  14. snap — to click
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — a law

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