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 120 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bank — for money
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. present — the time now
  8. fine — all right
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. snap — to click
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. kid — child
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. shower — to wash
  21. kid — to tease
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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