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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. roll — a cake
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. kick — in football
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fall — the season
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. fall — to drop
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. season — of the year
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bass — the fish
  15. dip — to sink
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. cue — for pool
  19. roll — a list
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bass — low music
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — in sport
  24. cue — a hint

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