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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. branch — a division
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bore — to tire
  7. wind — moving air
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bore — to drill
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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