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: sharp · hand · spell · bulb · snap · mate · mug · root

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. root — the cause
  4. hand — help
  5. sharp — clever
  6. mug — a cup
  7. snap — to click
  8. root — of a word
  9. spell — a short time
  10. root — of a plant
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mug — a face
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. spell — magic
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. bulb — for light
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. spell — letters

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