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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. kick — in football
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — a skill
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bound — tied together
  11. craft — boats
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bound — certain
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. game — a match
  16. bound — obliged
  17. game — wild animals
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mouse — for a computer

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