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: cabinet · shower · row · pass · fall · scale · calf · lie

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. row — a line
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pass — a permit
  14. fall — to drop
  15. shower — rain
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. scale — in music
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fall — the season
  20. shower — to wash
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. calf — a young animal

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