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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cap — a lid
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — rain
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. shower — to wash
  10. firm — steady
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. drill — army training
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. drill — a practice
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. face — to point toward

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