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 120 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: cue · dip · fall · bay · mouse · saw · row · land

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cue — a hint
  3. dip — to sink
  4. land — ground
  5. row — to paddle
  6. saw — the tool
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. land — a country
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cue — a signal
  12. fall — the season
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fall — to drop
  19. land — to come down
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. row — a line
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. fall — to drop

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