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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — to wash
  8. object — a thing
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. object — an aim
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. object — to protest
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. perch — the fish
  24. ball — a dance

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