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 116 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. perch — the fish
  4. can — a tin
  5. current — electric
  6. swing — music
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. current — of water
  11. swing — to play on
  12. current — happening now
  13. prune — to trim
  14. can — to be able to
  15. swing — in golf
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. scale — in music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. 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