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 120 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rest — a break
  4. net — after costs
  5. shower — rain
  6. snap — to click
  7. net — for catching
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. rest — what's left
  14. shower — to wash
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. net — in sport
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. club — a group
  23. tube — a container
  24. rest — what's left

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