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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. file — a tool
  6. row — a line
  7. fine — all right
  8. snap — to click
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. drill — a practice
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. file — a document
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. row — to paddle
  18. drill — army training
  19. fine — high quality
  20. file — a line of people
  21. dip — to sink
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. drill — the tool
  24. mouse — the animal

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