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: bat · perch · toast · scale · mouse · rest · fan · firm

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. perch — the fish
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. firm — decided
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rest — a break
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rest — what's left
  16. firm — steady
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. toast — bread
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. scale — in music
  22. firm — a company
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. perch — for a bird

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