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: wind · stem · saw · mouse · can · stick · racket · cabinet

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stem — to come from
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. can — to be able to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. saw — the tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cabinet — ministers

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