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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. current — of water
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. shower — rain
  6. rule — government
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. current — electric
  9. scale — in music
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. current — happening now
  13. rash — hasty
  14. scale — size or range
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rash — a series
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rule — a law
  24. pound — a weight

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