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: face · perch · snap · can · arm · shower · wake · mouse

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wake — a trail
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. can — a tin
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. snap — to click
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. face — to confront
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. shower — rain
  16. can — a tin
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. perch — the fish
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. shower — to wash

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