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: saw · mouse · bowl · fork · face · wind · object · can

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. can — a tin
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fork — in a road
  9. can — to be able to
  10. face — part of the head
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. wind — moving air
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. face — to confront
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. can — a tin
  24. wind — moving air

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