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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. rule — a law
  3. rest — what's left
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. degree — an amount
  8. rule — government
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stock — goods
  12. degree — temperature
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — a hat
  17. degree — from a university
  18. stock — shares
  19. ball — a great time
  20. shower — to wash
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rest — a break
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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