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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. spring — the season
  3. fall — the season
  4. plane — a tool
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bore — to drill
  13. spring — of water
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bass — low music
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bass — the fish
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bore — to tire
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bowl — a dish

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