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 120 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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. net — for catching
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. firm — steady
  9. game — a match
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ball — a great time
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. game — wild animals
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. net — after costs
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. net — in sport
  19. firm — decided
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. firm — a company
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stand — to bear

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