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: fall · rule · racket · straw · mouse · trunk · object · mine

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. object — to protest
  10. fall — to drop
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. fall — the season
  15. rule — a law
  16. fall — to drop
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rule — government
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mine — for digging
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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