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 120 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 · scale · saw · rush · kick · hand · object · track

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. track — a path
  5. hand — in cards
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. track — to keep track
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — in music
  11. object — to protest
  12. hand — help
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. scale — size or range
  17. track — a song
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. object — an aim
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. saw — the tool
  22. object — a thing
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rush — hurry

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