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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pit — a hole
  6. plane — a tool
  7. swing — music
  8. shower — to wash
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. mug — to rob
  15. shower — rain
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pit — in a race
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mug — a face
  24. plane — an aircraft

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