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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bank — for money
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. last — to go on
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. chip — for betting
  10. dip — to sink
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. last — final
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. last — finally
  20. bank — for money
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. chip — to eat
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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