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: root · snap · present · saw · clip · bass · cue · rush

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bass — low music
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. clip — a video
  8. present — the time now
  9. cue — a signal
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. rush — hurry
  12. root — of a plant
  13. saw — the tool
  14. present — there
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bass — the fish
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — the cause
  20. present — a gift
  21. cue — for pool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bass — the instrument

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