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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. squash — the sport
  4. shower — rain
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. ball — a great time
  11. shower — to wash
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. chair — a leader
  15. row — a line
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. squash — to crush
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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