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 124 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. roll — a cake
  3. object — a thing
  4. toast — bread
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. hand — in cards
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. object — to protest
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. snap — to click
  15. object — an aim
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. roll — a list
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bank — for money
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bank — for money
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bank — of a river

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