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: bat · snap · bound · dip · straw · nail · suit · shower

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bound — certain
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. snap — to click
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bat — the animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bound — tied together
  24. shower — rain

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