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: lash · track · dip · snap · rule · fork · fall · safe

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. track — to keep track
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. track — a song
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. fall — to drop
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. track — a path
  22. rule — government
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. fork — a garden tool

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