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 · shower · nail · wind · race · rock · season · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. race — a contest
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. mug — a cup
  6. shower — to wash
  7. wind — moving air
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wind — moving air
  11. mug — to rob
  12. race — humankind
  13. hand — help
  14. race — the arms race
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. season — in sport
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rock — music
  22. shower — rain
  23. mug — a face
  24. season — of the year

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