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: rock · capital · field · current · lean · mouse · perch · rest

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. field — for sport
  3. capital — money
  4. rock — music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. field — a subject
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. perch — the fish
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. capital — a city
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rest — what's left
  18. field — farmland
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. rock — a stone
  22. lean — thin
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rest — a break

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