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: track · wound · perch · temple · can · prune · current · hand

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wound — an injury
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. perch — the fish
  8. track — to keep track
  9. hand — help
  10. track — a song
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. current — happening now
  13. prune — to trim
  14. can — to be able to
  15. track — a path
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. can — a tin
  18. current — of water
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wound — an injury
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. hand — in cards
  24. current — electric

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