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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — a thing
  4. row — a line
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. rush — hurry
  10. object — an aim
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. kick — in football
  14. rash — hasty
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. row — to paddle
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pitch — completely
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. wake — a trail

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