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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. hand — help
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. can — a tin
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. hand — in cards
  11. toast — bread
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rash — a series
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. can — a tin
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bat — the animal
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. toast — the most admired

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