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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · perch · shower · suit · prune · hide · mouse · kid

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. shower — rain
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. vault — a safe
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. suit — in cards
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. kid — child
  16. suit — to fit
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. shower — to wash
  23. suit — clothes
  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