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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. tube — a container
  3. spell — magic
  4. last — final
  5. last — to go on
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. race — the arms race
  8. rest — what's left
  9. spell — letters
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rest — what's left
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. last — finally
  14. race — a contest
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. tube — the underground
  17. race — humankind
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. spell — a short time
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rest — a break
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. shower — to wash

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