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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. key — in music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spring — the season
  5. bank — for money
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. spring — of water
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. key — for a lock
  14. spring — a coil
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. key — the most important part
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bank — for money
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pitcher — a jug

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