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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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. straw — dry grass
  4. foot — a measure
  5. spell — letters
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. spell — a short time
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. spell — magic
  14. perch — the fish
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. tube — the underground
  24. nail — for a hammer

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