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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. pound — a weight
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. stem — to come from
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bulb — of a plant

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