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.
Multiple-Meaning Words
Name: ____________________Date: __________
Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.
Word bank: shower · craft · press · ruler
- Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
- A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
- He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
- The people resisted their cruel ________________.
- Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
- He's taking a ________________ right now.
- We took cover from the thunder ________________.
- The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
- Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
- Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
- Did you ________________ the button?
- The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com
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