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: cabinet · bore · stock · mug · face · mouse · perch · fan

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stock — goods
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mug — to rob
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stock — shares
  10. mug — a cup
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. face — to point toward
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mug — a face
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. face — to confront
  24. bore — to tire

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