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: bass · hide · roll · court · pop · shower · current · drill

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. drill — army training
  3. current — electric
  4. bass — low music
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — to wash
  7. court — for sport
  8. shower — rain
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pop — music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. court — of a king
  13. drill — a practice
  14. roll — a list
  15. bass — the fish
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. court — of law
  18. pop — soda
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. pop — to visit
  24. current — of water

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