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. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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. roll — on a roll
  4. toast — bread
  5. shower — to wash
  6. tear — from crying
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pitch — completely
  10. craft — boats
  11. tear — to rip
  12. rule — government
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. roll — a list
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. craft — a skill

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