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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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. rush — to hurry
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. land — a country
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. tear — to rip
  10. land — ground
  11. rush — hurry
  12. tear — from crying
  13. sharp — clever
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. tear — from crying
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. wax — to grow
  21. land — to come down
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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