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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. rule — a law
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. kick — in football
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wind — moving air
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rule — government
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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