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: mark · hide · jam · squash · plane · mouse · bowl · object

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. plane — a tool
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. object — a thing
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. squash — the sport
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. squash — to crush

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