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: mouse · hand · cabinet · date · current · perch · shower · bowl

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. current — happening now
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. shower — rain
  11. current — of water
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hand — in cards
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. hand — help
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. current — electric

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