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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. object — a thing
  8. present — there
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. present — a gift
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. row — to paddle
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — the time now
  24. wave — with your hand

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