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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. shower — rain
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bank — for money
  7. file — a line of people
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. file — a tool
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bank — for money
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. file — a document
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. shower — to wash
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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