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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. mark — a trace
  3. shower — to wash
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mark — a grade
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — to cut
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. clip — a video
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cap — a lid
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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