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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. kick — in football
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. race — humankind
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. race — a contest
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. press — a publisher
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. press — newspapers
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. wake — a trail
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. press — to push
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mouse — the animal

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