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: deal · pitcher · bay · leaves · kid · shower · race · bowl

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. race — the arms race
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. kid — to tease
  18. race — a contest
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. kid — child
  23. race — humankind
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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