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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. tear — from crying
  3. shower — to wash
  4. craft — boats
  5. shower — rain
  6. tear — to rip
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stock — goods
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bore — to tire
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stock — shares
  17. bore — to drill
  18. scale — size or range
  19. craft — a skill
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. tear — from crying
  24. scale — for weighing

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