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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. present — there
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. present — the time now
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. band — a ring
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mate — to breed
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. band — a music group
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. mate — a friend
  24. present — a gift

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