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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. scale — in music
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. dip — to sink
  19. track — a song
  20. scale — size or range
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. wound — an injury

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