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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tube — a container
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. chip — for betting
  9. tear — to rip
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rock — music
  18. dip — to sink
  19. chip — to eat
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mine — for digging
  24. tear — from crying

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