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 120 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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. club — for dancing
  7. stem — to come from
  8. fall — the season
  9. pit — in a race
  10. club — a group
  11. snap — to click
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. club — for golf
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fall — to drop
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. fall — to drop
  19. charge — electricity
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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