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: cabinet · mouse · bay · chip · mark · kid · pop · wave

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pop — soda
  4. kid — child
  5. mark — a grade
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pop — music
  15. chip — for betting
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. mark — a trace
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mouse — the animal

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