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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cue — for pool
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ground — crushed
  7. tube — the underground
  8. ground — a position
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cue — a hint
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. tube — a container
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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