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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fine — all right
  10. bore — to tire
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. spell — magic
  13. clip — to cut
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fine — high quality
  16. spell — a short time
  17. clip — a video
  18. spell — letters
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. clip — for paper
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rush — a thrill

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