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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — of water
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rest — what's left
  13. vault — a safe
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spring — a coil
  18. charge — in control
  19. rest — a break
  20. perch — the fish
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lean — thin
  24. charge — a price

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