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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. bass — the fish
  8. season — of the year
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — a series
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rash — hasty
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cap — a lid
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. cap — a hat
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bass — low music

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