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: mouse · current · jam · chair · face · game · lean · chest

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. current — electric
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — a box
  5. face — part of the head
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. current — happening now
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chest — of your body
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. current — of water
  18. face — to point toward
  19. game — a match
  20. chair — a leader
  21. lean — thin
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. face — to confront
  24. lean — to bend

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