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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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. dip — to sink
  3. chip — for betting
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — of water
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. spring — the season
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bulb — for light
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — a safe
  17. chip — to eat
  18. snap — to click
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. swing — music
  24. dip — to dunk

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