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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — to wash
  3. prune — to trim
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — a box
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. perch — the fish
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — to trim
  17. suit — to fit
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chest — of your body
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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