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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. scale — in music
  3. cap — of ice
  4. shower — to wash
  5. scale — size or range
  6. drill — a practice
  7. fine — high quality
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bore — to tire
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — music
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. drill — the tool
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pop — soda
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cap — a lid
  23. drill — army training
  24. cap — a hat

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