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 116 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. shower — rain
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. shower — to wash
  6. mug — a face
  7. hand — in cards
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hand — help
  12. fine — high quality
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. bore — to drill
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fine — all right
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fine — a penalty

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