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: chest · prune · fall · key · mouse · net · calf · fine

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chest — of your body
  3. net — in sport
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fall — to drop
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fine — all right
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. chest — a box
  16. chest — of your body
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. net — after costs
  22. prune — to trim
  23. net — for catching
  24. mouse — for a computer

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