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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mug · mate · fall · spell · craft · snap

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mate — a partner
  6. spell — a short time
  7. snap — to click
  8. spell — letters
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. craft — boats
  11. fall — the season
  12. mate — to breed
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. spell — magic
  15. fall — to drop
  16. craft — a skill
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mate — a friend

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