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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bat — the animal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. face — to confront
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. drill — army training
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pound — a weight
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. face — part of the head

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