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 120 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. degree — from a university
  3. craft — a skill
  4. degree — an amount
  5. shower — to wash
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bank — for money
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bank — for money
  21. craft — boats
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. calf — of the leg

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