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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · wake · swing · present · straw · rule

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. wake — a trail
  4. swing — to play on
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. present — a gift
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. swing — in golf
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. present — the time now
  12. swing — music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rule — government
  16. present — there
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rule — a law

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