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: hide · bear · mouse · face · straw · wind · cue · mug

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. face — part of the head
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. face — to confront
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mug — a face
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. face — to point toward
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wind — moving air
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cue — for pool
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. wind — moving air
  23. straw — a straw man
  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