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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. last — finally
  3. wound — an injury
  4. last — to go on
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bank — for money
  10. last — final
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bank — for money
  13. shower — to wash
  14. pit — in a race
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. shower — rain
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. craft — boats
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wound — an injury

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