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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pitch — completely
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. land — a country
  7. land — ground
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. cap — a hat
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. land — to come down
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitch — a sports field

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