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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. row — to paddle
  3. lean — to bend
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. row — a line
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. snap — to click
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pit — a hole
  15. deal — to handle
  16. pit — in a race
  17. lean — thin
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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