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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rest — a break
  3. scale — in music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. stock — goods
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wax — in the ear

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