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 116 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. root — the cause
  6. pop — to visit
  7. hand — help
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. hand — in cards
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pop — soda
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pop — music
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. root — of a word
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. snap — to click
  23. root — of a plant
  24. saw — the tool

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