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 120 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. squash — the sport
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. saw — the tool
  5. shower — rain
  6. bank — for money
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bank — of a river
  9. march — the month
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — to bend
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. squash — to crush
  14. march — music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lean — thin
  20. saw — the tool
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bank — for money
  23. shower — to wash
  24. temple — a place of worship

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