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: rush · object · bay · snap · stick · bark · wake · can

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. object — an aim
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. can — a tin
  9. rush — hurry
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — a thing
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — to shout
  16. object — to protest
  17. snap — to click
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bark — of a tree

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