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: bound · bay · deal · squash · snap · clip · bulb · dip

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bulb — for light
  3. snap — to click
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. clip — a video
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bound — tied together
  11. clip — to cut
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bound — certain
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. clip — for paper
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bound — obliged

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