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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. face — part of the head
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — a measure
  10. spring — the season
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — to confront
  16. cell — in biology
  17. mug — a face
  18. cell — a phone
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bark — to shout
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. spring — a coil
  24. mouse — for a computer

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