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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. pop — soda
  3. ball — a dance
  4. last — finally
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ball — a great time
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. last — final
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. last — to go on
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pop — music
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pop — to visit

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