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 120 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: plane · wind · rock · snap · dip · season · lash · swing

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. swing — music
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. swing — in golf
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. swing — to play on
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. dip — to sink
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wind — moving air
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. season — of the year
  17. snap — to click
  18. rock — a stone
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rock — music
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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