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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. saw — the tool
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. shower — rain
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cap — of ice
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cap — a hat
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — army training
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. saw — the tool
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — to wash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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