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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. shower — rain
  3. mug — to rob
  4. face — to confront
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. root — of a word
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bass — the fish
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — low music
  14. mate — to breed
  15. root — the cause
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. root — of a plant
  18. face — to point toward
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. mug — a face
  22. shower — to wash
  23. mate — a partner
  24. lash — to lash out

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