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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bank — for money
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. ground — a position
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bank — for money
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rock — music
  12. ground — the earth
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — ground
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. land — a country
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. shower — to wash
  24. wound — an injury

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