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 116 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: bore · row · suit · pound · shower · lie · dip · nail

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. suit — clothes
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. suit — in cards
  6. row — a line
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. shower — rain
  10. bore — to tire
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. row — to paddle
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lie — to recline

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