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: bulb · bore · perch · bank · mouse · file · arm · toast

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. file — a tool
  10. toast — bread
  11. bank — for money
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. file — a line of people
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bulb — for light
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bore — to tire
  23. file — a document
  24. arm — a part of something

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