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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. net — for catching
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. hand — in cards
  9. wind — moving air
  10. net — in sport
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. mug — a face
  13. hand — help
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. mug — a cup
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pop — to visit
  22. row — a line
  23. net — after costs
  24. wind — moving air

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