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: bowl · shower · foot · fall · wax · rash · current · board

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. wax — to grow
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. board — a committee
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. board — to get on
  9. fall — to drop
  10. current — happening now
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. fall — the season
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. shower — rain
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. fall — to drop
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wax — for sculpting

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