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: bark · wound · stand · cap · cue · snap · dip · lash

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cap — a hat
  4. snap — to click
  5. cue — a signal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wound — an injury
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. cap — a lid
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bark — to shout
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. cue — for pool

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