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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. spring — of water
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. shower — rain
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bass — low music
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. spring — a coil
  21. present — there
  22. spring — the season
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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