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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fine — high quality
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to click
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fine — all right
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bat — the animal
  24. wake — before a funeral

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