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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pound — a weight
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. root — of a word
  8. spell — magic
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. spell — letters
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. root — the cause
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. root — of a plant
  18. spell — a short time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. ball — a great time

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