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: present · snap · trunk · fan · last · mouse · pass · firm

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. firm — steady
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. snap — to click
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. last — to go on
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. present — there
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. last — final
  14. last — finally
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. present — the time now
  18. pass — a permit
  19. firm — a company
  20. present — a gift
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. firm — decided

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