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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. kick — with a leg
  2. last — finally
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stand — to bear
  13. last — final
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. last — to go on
  19. fork — in a road
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. kick — in football
  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