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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bore — to tire
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. saw — the tool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rule — a law
  16. bore — to drill
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. spell — magic
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. saw — the tool
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rule — government

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