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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. press — a publisher
  5. shower — to wash
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. race — a contest
  14. press — to push
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — humankind
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. press — newspapers
  24. shower — rain

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