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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pop — music
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. firm — a company
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bound — certain
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pop — soda
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. firm — steady
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. deal — to handle
  16. firm — decided
  17. pop — to visit
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. track — a path
  22. bound — obliged
  23. track — a song
  24. bound — tied together

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