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

Word bank: bear · ruler · lie · bat · shower · mouse · staff · pound

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. staff — employees
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. shower — rain
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lie — to recline
  16. staff — employees
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bat — the animal
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. staff — a stick
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — to wash

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