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 116 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: bark · mouse · hand · press · kid · cabinet · perch · bulb

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. hand — help
  5. kid — child
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bulb — for light
  9. press — to push
  10. hand — in cards
  11. press — a publisher
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. kid — to tease
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mouse — for a computer

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