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: pit · spell · wave · bank · bulb · drill · kick · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — in a race
  4. drill — the tool
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spell — a short time
  13. drill — army training
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. spell — magic
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — in football
  20. bank — for money
  21. spell — letters
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. drill — a practice

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