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: prune · mug · perch · cabinet · chest · spell · current · jam

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. current — happening now
  3. chest — of your body
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. chest — a box
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. current — electric
  8. mug — a face
  9. prune — to trim
  10. current — of water
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mug — to rob
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. spell — magic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. spell — letters
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mug — a cup
  22. perch — the fish
  23. spell — a short time
  24. jam — in traffic

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