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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. cold — an illness
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. object — a thing
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. object — an aim
  8. wind — moving air
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. dip — to sink
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wind — moving air
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rush — hurry
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cold — not warm
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. object — to protest

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