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: bay · prune · hand · arm · bowl · racket · perch · current

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. current — electric
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. current — of water
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. current — happening now
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. arm — part of the body

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