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: cap · bark · cold · lash · snap · jam · bowl · lie

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. snap — to click
  4. cold — not warm
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. lie — to recline
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — a hat
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cold — an illness

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