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 116 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bat — the animal
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. fall — the season
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. season — of the year
  9. present — a gift
  10. key — in music
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. present — there
  13. key — for a lock
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. key — the most important part
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mate — to breed
  19. season — in sport
  20. mate — a friend
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. present — the time now

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