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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  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. shower — a meteor shower
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. key — in music
  4. shower — to wash
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fall — the season
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. game — a match
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. ball — a dance
  12. fall — to drop
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. shower — rain
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. game — wild animals
  20. key — for a lock
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. fall — to drop
  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