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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. saw — the tool
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. shower — to wash
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pass — a permit
  13. current — electric
  14. current — happening now
  15. shower — rain
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cold — an illness
  18. current — of water
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cabinet — ministers

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