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 116 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. drill — the tool
  3. court — of a king
  4. drill — a practice
  5. cold — an illness
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wound — an injury
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. drill — army training
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. cold — not warm
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. safe — out of danger

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