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 120 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: bowl · drill · coach · net · shower · board · bear · rush

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. board — to get on
  3. bear — the animal
  4. drill — the tool
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. net — after costs
  10. board — a committee
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. net — in sport
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. drill — army training
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. shower — rain
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. drill — a practice
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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