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: tear · kick · bowl · wound · deal · snap · fine · mark

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mark — a grade
  4. snap — to click
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — from crying
  13. kick — in football
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wound — an injury
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. fine — all right
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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