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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. perch — the fish
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. court — for sport
  5. track — to keep track
  6. row — to paddle
  7. court — of a king
  8. row — a line
  9. board — to get on
  10. bank — for money
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. track — a song
  15. sharp — clever
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. court — of law
  18. track — a path
  19. bank — for money
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. board — a committee

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