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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fine — high quality
  6. date — the fruit
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wake — a trail
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. lean — to bend
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. lean — thin
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. fine — all right
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. dip — to sink
  22. branch — a division
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. branch — of a tree

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