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 · saw · bat · snap · bank · court · suit · track

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. track — a song
  6. court — of law
  7. court — for sport
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bank — for money
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bank — for money
  13. suit — in cards
  14. court — of a king
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. track — a path
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bat — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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