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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — a group
  7. cap — a lid
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lean — thin
  12. land — a country
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. cap — of ice
  19. land — ground
  20. club — for dancing
  21. land — to come down
  22. rock — music
  23. bear — the animal
  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