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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. track — a song
  5. chip — for betting
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. track — a path
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. swing — to play on
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. prune — to trim
  16. swing — in golf
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. swing — music
  23. prune — to trim
  24. shower — rain

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