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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. mine — for digging
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bass — low music
  6. toast — bread
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bound — certain
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bound — obliged
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bass — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. bound — tied together
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mouse — the animal

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