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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. shower — to wash
  3. cue — for pool
  4. firm — a company
  5. stem — to come from
  6. firm — steady
  7. spell — magic
  8. drill — army training
  9. cue — a hint
  10. spell — letters
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. drill — a practice
  13. shower — rain
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. spell — a short time
  18. hand — in cards
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hand — help
  21. firm — decided
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. fan — a supporter

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