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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. shower — rain
  3. present — there
  4. march — the month
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. chip — to eat
  8. present — a gift
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bass — the fish
  13. march — music
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bass — low music
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. march — the month
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rest — what's left
  22. shower — to wash
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bass — the instrument

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