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: dip · roll · bay · object · shower · stick · land · tube

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. land — a country
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. dip — to sink
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. object — a thing
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. object — to protest
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — ground
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. object — an aim
  20. shower — to wash
  21. tube — a container
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. roll — a list
  24. tube — the underground

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