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: row · ball · rock · plane · fan · trunk · lean · shower

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. lean — to bend
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. ball — a great time
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. plane — a tool
  10. shower — to wash
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. shower — rain
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. row — a line
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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