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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bark — to shout
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. squash — the sport
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. mark — a grade
  15. perch — the fish
  16. current — happening now
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. straw — dry grass

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