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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. club — for dancing
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. club — for golf
  19. race — humankind
  20. club — a group
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. race — a contest

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