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 116 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. suit — clothes
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pit — a hole
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. season — in sport
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. suit — in cards
  12. race — a contest
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. race — the arms race
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pit — in a race
  19. race — humankind
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mine — for digging
  23. row — a line
  24. season — of the year

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