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: mate · lash · snap · calf · spell · wave · fan · fork

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — a friend
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. spell — letters
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — a short time
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. calf — a young animal

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