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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. fine — all right
  8. clip — a video
  9. pop — music
  10. shower — to wash
  11. suit — clothes
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. clip — for paper
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. clip — to cut
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. shower — rain
  24. mouse — for a computer

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