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: drill · saw · court · shower · rule · stick · track · jam

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. rule — government
  3. drill — army training
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — rain
  8. drill — a practice
  9. court — of law
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. track — to keep track
  12. saw — the tool
  13. court — of a king
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. track — a song
  17. drill — the tool
  18. court — for sport
  19. saw — the tool
  20. track — a path
  21. rule — a law
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. rule — to rule out

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