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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. swing — music
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. swing — to play on
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. shower — rain
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bank — of a river
  14. swing — in golf
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bank — for money
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bound — certain
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bank — for money
  24. stand — to bear

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