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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cue — for pool
  7. last — finally
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — the season
  11. cue — a hint
  12. spring — of water
  13. last — final
  14. field — a subject
  15. last — to go on
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — farmland
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. tube — a container
  24. bear — the animal

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