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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. face — part of the head
  3. net — after costs
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. spring — a coil
  10. face — to point toward
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. suit — to fit
  15. spring — of water
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. face — to confront
  18. suit — clothes
  19. spring — the season
  20. net — in sport
  21. shower — rain
  22. suit — in cards
  23. current — electric
  24. cabinet — ministers

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