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 120 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: ground · stem · wave · rock · temple · fan · shower · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. ground — the earth
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stem — to come from
  13. shower — to wash
  14. ground — crushed
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rock — music
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. ground — a position
  22. shower — rain
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rock — a stone

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