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 124 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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. shower — rain
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bound — certain
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. shower — to wash
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wake — a trail
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. snap — to click
  24. wake — before a funeral

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