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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. land — to come down
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fall — to drop
  12. land — a country
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — to wash
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. toast — bread
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fall — the season
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. shower — rain
  23. fall — to drop
  24. land — ground

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