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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. roll — a list
  5. board — a committee
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. swing — music
  8. shower — to wash
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. mark — a trace
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. board — to get on
  15. mark — a grade
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. wax — to grow
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. swing — to play on
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. swing — in golf

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