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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. club — for dancing
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. ball — a dance
  11. club — a group
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lean — thin
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. lean — to bend
  21. branch — a division
  22. club — for golf
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rule — government

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