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

Word bank: mouse · perch · wound · bark · wave · season · bay · rash

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. season — of the year
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — hasty
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. season — in sport

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