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: dip · bulb · bore · march · wave · date · hand · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. march — the month
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. march — music
  7. shower — rain
  8. date — the fruit
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. shower — to wash
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. dip — to sink
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — in cards
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bore — to tire
  21. march — the month
  22. hand — help
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bulb — for light

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