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 116 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. staff — a stick
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bat — the animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. fine — high quality
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mine — for digging
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fine — all right
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. staff — employees
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. fine — a penalty

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