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

Word bank: shower · firm · perch · present · bank · stem

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. firm — steady
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bank — for money
  8. shower — to wash
  9. firm — a company
  10. present — the time now
  11. perch — the fish
  12. stem — to come from
  13. firm — decided
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bank — for money
  16. present — there
  17. shower — rain
  18. present — a gift

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