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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bat — the animal
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rush — hurry
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. rush — to hurry

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