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: date · chest · stand · object · mug · hand · bowl · mouse

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mug — to rob
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stand — to bear
  7. hand — in cards
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. object — an aim
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. object — a thing
  13. chest — of your body
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. object — to protest
  16. hand — help
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. chest — a box
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  24. date — the fruit

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