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: fall · leaves · stick · date · dip · object · snap · wind

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. dip — to sink
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fall — the season
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wind — moving air
  10. fall — to drop
  11. date — the fruit
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. object — an aim
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. snap — to click
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. wind — moving air
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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