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: race · cap · shower · bore · vault · rest · racket · rule

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. rest — a break
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. cap — a lid
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bore — to drill
  7. shower — to wash
  8. rest — what's left
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cap — a hat
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. vault — a safe
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — the arms race
  17. rule — a law
  18. cap — of ice
  19. rest — what's left
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bore — to tire
  22. shower — rain
  23. race — humankind
  24. rule — government

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