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 · mark · saw · bound · toast · stem · spell · press

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. spell — magic
  5. mark — a trace
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bound — certain
  10. toast — bread
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bound — tied together
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. press — to push
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. snap — to click
  20. spell — letters
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bound — obliged
  23. saw — the tool
  24. spell — a short time

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