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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  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 — for a computer
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ground — crushed
  10. key — in music
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. land — to come down
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — the most important part
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bat — the animal
  18. hand — help
  19. land — a country
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — the earth
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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