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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rash — a series
  7. tear — from crying
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. face — to confront
  10. scale — in music
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — a list
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. tear — from crying
  15. face — part of the head
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. scale — size or range
  19. face — to point toward
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. tear — to rip
  23. rash — hasty
  24. roll — on a roll

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