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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bass — low music
  10. shower — to wash
  11. spell — magic
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. object — to protest
  15. bass — the fish
  16. object — an aim
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bulb — for light
  20. spell — letters
  21. object — a thing
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a city

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