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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. firm — decided
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. pound — a weight
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. mine — for digging
  9. fall — to drop
  10. current — happening now
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. chip — for betting
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. fall — to drop
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. fall — the season

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