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: mine · ground · dip · bowl · firm · jam · snap · face

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. mine — for digging
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. face — part of the head
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. snap — to click
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. ground — a position
  12. dip — to sink
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. firm — a company
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. firm — decided
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — to confront
  20. ground — crushed
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. firm — steady
  24. ground — the earth

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