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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. fall — to drop
  3. shower — rain
  4. fall — the season
  5. sharp — clever
  6. fall — to drop
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rock — a stone
  11. press — newspapers
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. board — to get on
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. press — to push
  22. board — a committee
  23. shower — to wash
  24. ruler — a monarch

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