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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bank — for money
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mark — a grade
  8. field — farmland
  9. prune — to trim
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. snap — to click
  15. mug — a cup
  16. field — a subject
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — to rob
  22. field — for sport
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. mark — a trace

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