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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bank — for money
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. spring — the season
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bank — for money
  17. shower — to wash
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bank — of a river
  21. spring — of water
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bulb — for light

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