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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cell — a phone
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. lean — thin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cell — in biology
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. staff — employees
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mark — a trace
  17. staff — employees
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. dip — to sink
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kick — a thrill

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