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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. kid — to tease
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. kid — child
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. drill — a practice
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. drill — army training
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. swing — to play on
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. swing — in golf
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. swing — music
  23. deal — to handle
  24. mouse — the 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