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: mouse · snap · current · suit · lie · ball · perch · wake

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. snap — to click
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. current — happening now
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. perch — the fish
  19. suit — in cards
  20. wake — a trail
  21. suit — to fit
  22. current — electric
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. current — of water

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