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: rock · firm · shower · race · coach · plane · bore · rest

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. firm — decided
  3. bore — to tire
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rest — what's left
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rock — a stone
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. race — humankind
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. shower — rain
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. plane — a tool
  16. firm — steady
  17. race — a contest
  18. bore — to drill
  19. firm — a company
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. race — the arms race
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rock — music
  24. shower — to wash

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