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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. land — to come down
  4. bark — to shout
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. present — a gift
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. present — there
  12. prune — to trim
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. can — a tin
  17. present — the time now
  18. prune — to trim
  19. can — a tin
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. land — ground
  22. can — to be able to
  23. land — a country
  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