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: trunk · current · fan · mouse · shower · net · object · fine

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. current — electric
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — all right
  7. object — to protest
  8. shower — rain
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. object — an aim
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fine — high quality
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. current — happening now
  17. net — after costs
  18. current — of water
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — for catching
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. object — a thing
  24. shower — to wash

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