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: face · coach · suit · spring · shower · bank · tear · bore

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bank — for money
  4. tear — to rip
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to point toward
  7. spring — of water
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bank — for money
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bank — of a river
  14. tear — from crying
  15. suit — to fit
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bore — to tire
  18. spring — the season
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. face — to confront
  24. bore — to drill

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