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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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. patient — a sick person
  3. dip — to sink
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bore — to tire
  7. snap — to click
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. content — the amount
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. vault — a safe
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bore — to drill
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rest — a break
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. content — happy
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lie — an untruth

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