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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. net — after costs
  3. suit — clothes
  4. net — for catching
  5. march — music
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bulb — for light
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mate — a partner
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mate — to breed
  16. net — in sport
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. chip — for betting
  19. suit — in cards
  20. march — the month
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. march — the month
  23. mate — a friend
  24. chip — to eat

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