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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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. pop — to visit
  4. bat — the animal
  5. file — a document
  6. snap — to click
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. track — a song
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. file — a tool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. pop — music
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. file — a line of people
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pop — soda
  21. track — a path
  22. track — to keep track
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bat — in an idiom

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