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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. shower — rain
  6. club — a group
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — for golf
  14. dip — to sink
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. shower — to wash
  23. stem — to come from
  24. toast — bread

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