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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. land — a country
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pitch — completely
  11. squash — the sport
  12. land — to come down
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cell — a phone
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. land — ground
  24. dip — a sauce

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