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 · lash · rush · nail · track · cell · suit · march

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. march — the month
  3. snap — to click
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. track — to keep track
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rush — hurry
  11. cell — in biology
  12. suit — to fit
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. cell — a phone
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. track — a song
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. suit — in cards
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. rush — a thrill

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