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 120 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: bear · current · bat · file · perch · pitch · bank · racket

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. file — a line of people
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. current — of water
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. file — a tool
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. file — a document
  9. bank — for money
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. current — happening now
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bat — the animal
  17. perch — the fish
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bank — for money
  24. perch — for a bird

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