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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. fine — all right
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bank — of a river
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bank — for money
  7. shower — rain
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. drill — a practice
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bank — for money
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. drill — army training
  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