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: face · cap · rock · current · bark · perch · chip · sharp

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. face — part of the head
  3. perch — the fish
  4. face — to point toward
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rock — a stone
  7. current — electric
  8. rock — music
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. current — of water
  14. bark — to shout
  15. chip — to eat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. face — to confront
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. current — happening now
  23. chip — for betting
  24. sharp — clever

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