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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pound — a weight
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chair — a leader
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chip — to eat

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