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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. race — humankind
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. current — happening now
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mug — to rob
  9. race — a contest
  10. roll — a list
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. current — of water
  13. race — the arms race
  14. roll — a cake
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. shower — to wash
  17. current — electric
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. shower — rain
  20. mug — a face
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. mug — a cup
  23. perch — the fish
  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