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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mark — a trace
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mark — a grade
  8. kick — in football
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. mug — to rob
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — high quality
  22. wound — an injury
  23. mug — a face
  24. lean — to bend

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