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: snap · ball · file · saw · lie · mouse · kick · roll

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. ball — a dance
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. file — a document
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. roll — a cake
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lie — to recline
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. roll — a list
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. snap — to click
  20. kick — in football
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. kick — with a leg

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