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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. rash — hasty
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. last — finally
  11. last — to go on
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. rule — a law
  15. rash — a series
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — government
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. mine — for digging
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. last — final
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. deal — to handle

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