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: fan · shower · cap · temple · firm · can · date · roll

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. can — a tin
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — a lid
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. shower — to wash
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. firm — decided
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. shower — rain
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. can — a tin
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. date — the fruit
  23. can — to be able to
  24. roll — a cake

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