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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cap — of ice
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. cap — a lid
  11. shower — to wash
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bound — certain
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. cap — a hat
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bound — tied together
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — obliged
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wake — before a funeral

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