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: shower · squash · club · bowl · cabinet · craft · ruler · row

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. craft — boats
  3. squash — to crush
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. club — for dancing
  6. row — to paddle
  7. club — a group
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. squash — the sport
  11. club — for golf
  12. shower — rain
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. row — a line
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. shower — to wash
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. craft — a skill
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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