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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bat — the animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. track — a path
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. press — to push
  20. track — a song
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. track — to keep track
  24. press — a publisher

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