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: pass · suit · hide · fall · shower · drill · pop · current

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. fall — to drop
  3. shower — rain
  4. fall — the season
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pop — music
  8. suit — clothes
  9. drill — army training
  10. shower — to wash
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pop — soda
  16. current — electric
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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