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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. stand — to bear
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. kick — in football
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mug — a face
  16. fork — in a road
  17. band — a ring
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. band — a music group
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. chest — of your body
  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