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: rest · branch · leaves · cap · hide · shower

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. shower — rain
  4. rest — what's left
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. shower — to wash
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. cap — a hat
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. branch — a division
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hide — to keep secret

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