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: mug · cue · leaves · bore · stick · rash · shower · lie

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mug — a face
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bore — to tire
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bore — to drill
  21. shower — to wash
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cue — a signal
  24. shower — rain

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