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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lean — thin
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. prune — to trim
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bear — the animal
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lean — to bend
  17. sharp — clever
  18. kid — to tease
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bear — the animal
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. sharp — exactly

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