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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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 — for a computer
  2. last — to go on
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mate — to breed
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. tube — a container
  9. bark — to shout
  10. charge — a price
  11. mate — a friend
  12. charge — in control
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mate — a partner
  15. drill — a practice
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. last — final
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. drill — army training
  22. last — finally
  23. mouse — the animal
  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