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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. ground — the earth
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. race — a contest
  12. ground — crushed
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mate — a friend
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. row — a line
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. ground — a position
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. shower — rain

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