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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: scale · shower · current · bore · nail · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bore — to tire
  4. fall — the season
  5. scale — size or range
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. shower — rain
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. current — of water
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. scale — in music
  13. current — happening now
  14. shower — to wash
  15. current — electric
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bore — to drill

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