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: bowl · perch · mouse · band · cap · bank · bass · bore

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — a lid
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bass — low music
  9. band — a music group
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bore — to drill
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cap — of ice
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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