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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. shower — to wash
  3. drill — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. can — a tin
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cap — a lid
  10. can — to be able to
  11. cap — a hat
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. shower — rain
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. drill — army training
  19. rash — hasty
  20. can — a tin
  21. rash — a series
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. saw — the tool
  24. cap — of ice

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