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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wound — an injury
  5. roll — a list
  6. mate — a partner
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. roll — a cake
  9. mate — to breed
  10. wound — an injury
  11. snap — to click
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. toast — bread
  15. hand — help
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. mate — a friend
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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