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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pop — to visit
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. spring — of water
  11. pop — music
  12. snap — to click
  13. spring — a coil
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pop — soda
  18. shower — to wash
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. spring — the season
  23. deal — to handle
  24. nail — for a hammer

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