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: wake · temple · spring · shower · cabinet · jam · stem · rock

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. shower — to wash
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. spring — the season
  6. shower — rain
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. spring — of water
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rock — a stone
  16. spring — a coil
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. wake — a trail
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. rock — music

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