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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. saw — the tool
  3. perch — the fish
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bank — for money
  16. chest — a box
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird

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