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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. shower — to wash
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. shower — rain
  5. prune — to trim
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mug — to rob
  9. drill — a practice
  10. mug — a face
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. drill — army training
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lie — to recline
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rock — a stone
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mug — a cup
  24. rock — music

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