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: shower · snap · suit · rash · club · racket · bank · perch

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. suit — in cards
  3. club — a group
  4. rash — a series
  5. club — for golf
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — to fit
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. rash — hasty
  11. club — for dancing
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. shower — to wash
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bank — for money
  22. snap — to click
  23. suit — clothes
  24. shower — rain

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