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: cabinet · perch · patient · bark · mouse · suit · spell · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. spell — a short time
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spell — magic
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. suit — in cards
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. suit — to fit
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. perch — the fish
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. spell — letters
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bark — to shout
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. patient — a sick person

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