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 116 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 · shower · mark · coach · firm · bore · stem · fan

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. shower — rain
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bass — the fish
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bass — low music
  10. shower — to wash
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. firm — a company
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — a stem cell

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