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: club · scale · rock · rush · spell · straw · safe · shower

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. spell — a short time
  5. scale — in music
  6. club — a group
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. club — for dancing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. rock — music
  12. rush — hurry
  13. club — for golf
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. spell — magic
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. shower — rain

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