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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. club — for dancing
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. club — for golf
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. dip — to sink
  17. club — a group
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fall — the season
  24. kid — to tease

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