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: key · chair · shower · rock · fan · trunk · hide · wake

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. key — in music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rock — music
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wake — a trail
  15. chair — a leader
  16. shower — rain
  17. key — the most important part
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. key — for a lock
  21. shower — to wash
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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