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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wake — a trail
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stem — to come from
  11. club — for golf
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — a weight
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lie — to recline
  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