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 116 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: track · lie · pound · mouse · game · straw · chip · staff

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. staff — employees
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. staff — a stick
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. track — a path
  17. game — a match
  18. pound — a weight
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. staff — employees
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. track — a song
  23. game — wild animals
  24. pound — to hit hard

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