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: lie · date · bowl · swing · firm · mouse · current · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. current — of water
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. lie — to recline
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. swing — music
  7. date — the fruit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. current — electric
  22. current — happening now
  23. firm — steady
  24. swing — in golf

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