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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. chip — to eat
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mug — a face
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. mark — a grade
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. race — humankind
  10. row — a line
  11. race — a contest
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mark — a trace
  15. chip — for betting
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pit — a hole
  19. row — to paddle
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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