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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. cue — a signal
  3. snap — to click
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pop — soda
  10. cue — for pool
  11. present — there
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. present — a gift
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. pop — to visit
  21. present — the time now
  22. pop — music
  23. cue — a hint
  24. shower — to wash

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