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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fine — high quality
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. fine — all right
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. game — wild animals
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pound — a weight
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. dip — to sink
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. kid — to tease
  21. game — a match
  22. kid — child
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. dip — a sauce

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