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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ball — a great time
  3. row — to paddle
  4. game — wild animals
  5. can — a tin
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rest — a break
  12. ball — a dance
  13. game — a match
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. can — a tin
  18. snap — to click
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rock — music
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. can — to be able to

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