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: snap · rock · bank · pitcher · straw · face · bass · mug

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. mug — a face
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. face — to confront
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bass — low music
  14. mug — to rob
  15. rock — music
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bass — the fish
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mug — a cup

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