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: spell · tube · pop · pound · court · rush · toast · shower

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. court — for sport
  5. pound — a weight
  6. court — of a king
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — to wash
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. court — of law
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pop — soda
  21. shower — rain
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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