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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. key — in music
  3. last — finally
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. squash — to crush
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. lie — to recline
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. last — to go on
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. key — for a lock
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bear — the animal
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rest — a break
  23. last — final
  24. plane — in geometry

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