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: key · lash · wound · shower · bore · perch · hand · race

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. shower — rain
  3. hand — in cards
  4. race — humankind
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. race — the arms race
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. key — for a lock
  9. race — a contest
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wound — an injury
  12. perch — the fish
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — help
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. key — the most important part
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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