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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. clip — a video
  6. present — there
  7. clip — to cut
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. clip — for paper
  10. foot — a measure
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. season — in sport
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. present — a gift
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. present — the time now
  19. shower — to wash
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. season — of the year
  24. deal — a big deal

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