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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — to wash
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. squash — the sport
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. spell — magic
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mug — a cup
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mug — to rob
  20. squash — to crush
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. drill — army training
  23. spell — letters
  24. mug — a face

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