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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. roll — a cake
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. craft — a skill
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. firm — decided
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rash — a series
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rash — hasty
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a list
  18. ground — crushed
  19. foot — a measure
  20. ground — the earth
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. craft — boats
  23. ground — a position
  24. mouse — for a computer

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