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: can · snap · rush · tear · pitch · fan · jam · bay

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. snap — to click
  4. can — a tin
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — from crying
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. can — a tin
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pitch — completely

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