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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fall — to drop
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rock — music
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fall — the season
  9. bulb — for light
  10. drill — the tool
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fall — to drop
  13. degree — an amount
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bear — the animal
  18. degree — temperature
  19. drill — army training
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. drill — a practice
  22. shower — rain
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rock — to move gently

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