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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pit — a hole
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. shower — to wash
  8. spring — the season
  9. wound — an injury
  10. spring — of water
  11. shower — rain
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. pit — in a race
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. wound — an injury
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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