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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. cap — of ice
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. shower — to wash
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. chair — a leader
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bass — the fish
  20. face — part of the head
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bass — low music
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — to point toward

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