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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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. clip — for paper
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. clip — to cut
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stem — to come from
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. scale — size or range
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. charge — in control
  16. clip — a video
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. scale — in music
  22. wind — moving air
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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