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

Word bank: ruler · mate · dip · snap · rest · tube · roll · bound

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. snap — to click
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. rest — a break
  6. bound — obliged
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. roll — a cake
  12. dip — to sink
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rest — what's left
  16. roll — a list
  17. tube — the underground
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rest — what's left
  20. tube — a container
  21. mate — a partner
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bound — certain
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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