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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rest — a break
  7. shower — rain
  8. face — to confront
  9. board — to get on
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — from a university
  12. drill — a practice
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. face — part of the head
  15. perch — the fish
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bound — certain
  19. drill — army training
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bound — tied together
  22. board — a committee
  23. degree — temperature
  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