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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rest — a break
  4. mark — a trace
  5. suit — in cards
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — to tease
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. shower — rain
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. board — a committee
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rest — what's left
  23. board — to get on
  24. rest — what's left

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