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: firm · rash · bowl · fork · hand · shower · bear · charge

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. firm — decided
  3. rash — hasty
  4. charge — a price
  5. rash — a series
  6. bear — the animal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. charge — in control
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. firm — a company
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fork — in a road
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. hand — help
  20. firm — steady
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fork — a garden tool

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