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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fall — the season
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fall — to drop
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. stock — goods
  10. mark — a grade
  11. shower — rain
  12. stock — shares
  13. bore — to tire
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bore — to drill
  18. straw — to clutch at straws

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