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: fall · shower · bay · pitch · bank · land · bowl · file

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. pitch — completely
  3. file — a line of people
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. file — a document
  11. land — ground
  12. shower — rain
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bank — for money
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bank — for money
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. file — a tool
  20. shower — to wash
  21. fall — the season
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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