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: pass · dip · row · wake · fine · snap · net · mug

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. net — for catching
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. net — after costs
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. snap — to click
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. mug — to rob
  12. dip — to sink
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. fine — all right
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. row — a line
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mug — a face
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mug — a cup

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