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

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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. mouse — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. rest — what's left
  7. foot — a measure
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. degree — from a university
  10. saw — the tool
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. saw — the tool
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rest — a break
  17. degree — an amount
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. degree — temperature
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. stand — to bear
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. dip — to sink

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