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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rest — a break
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rest — what's left
  8. current — happening now
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. current — of water
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. game — a match
  14. swing — to play on
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. content — the amount
  17. current — electric
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. content — happy
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. swing — music
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. rest — what's left

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