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: bass · fine · tear · stand · shower · mark · straw · drill

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fine — high quality
  4. tear — from crying
  5. shower — to wash
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. drill — the tool
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. tear — to rip
  12. mark — a grade
  13. fine — all right
  14. mark — a trace
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stand — to bear
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. shower — rain
  24. bass — low music

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