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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bore — to tire
  3. press — a publisher
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. shower — rain
  10. rash — a series
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. press — newspapers
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rash — hasty
  20. press — to push
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. cap — a lid

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