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 · firm · toast · lash · date · wax · dip · press

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — a company
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. snap — to click
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. press — a publisher
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. firm — decided
  14. toast — bread
  15. press — to push
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. wax — to grow
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. dip — to sink
  20. press — newspapers
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. date — the fruit

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