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 · cue · file · bark · rest · cap · bore · shower

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. cap — of ice
  5. file — a document
  6. fall — to drop
  7. shower — rain
  8. rest — a break
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. file — a line of people
  11. fall — the season
  12. cap — a lid
  13. fall — to drop
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bark — to shout
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bore — to tire
  23. file — a tool
  24. bore — to drill

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