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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. cap — of ice
  3. snap — to click
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. saw — the tool
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bore — to drill
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bore — to tire
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. cap — a hat
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. cap — a lid
  21. season — of the year
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. dip — to sink
  24. lash — to lash out

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