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 116 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: capital · mark · snap · lash · bulb · present · drill · saw

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. present — a gift
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. capital — money
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mark — a trace
  11. snap — to click
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. present — the time now
  14. mark — a grade
  15. capital — a city
  16. present — there
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. drill — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. drill — army training
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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