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: bark · pop · craft · kid · snap · cap · current · perch

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bark — to shout
  4. cap — of ice
  5. kid — to tease
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. current — happening now
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. kid — child
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pop — music
  13. perch — the fish
  14. pop — soda
  15. current — electric
  16. craft — a skill
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. snap — to click
  22. current — of water
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. cap — a lid

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