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 120 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 · stick · season · bark · pass · mate · game · temple

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. mate — a friend
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mate — a partner
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. game — wild animals
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. snap — to click
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. mate — to breed
  21. game — a match
  22. season — in sport
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bark — to shout

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