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: band · chip · lash · can · bear · object · mug · snap

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chip — for betting
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. mug — a face
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. band — a ring
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. chip — to eat
  9. can — a tin
  10. snap — to click
  11. mug — a cup
  12. band — a music group
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. object — a thing
  17. can — to be able to
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. can — a tin
  21. object — to protest
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bear — the animal
  24. object — an aim

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