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 120 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. hand — help
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. key — the most important part
  6. current — of water
  7. hand — in cards
  8. deal — to handle
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. current — happening now
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. object — to protest
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. current — electric
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. mouse — the animal

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