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: stand · shower · band · wave · press · pitcher · ruler · craft

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. shower — to wash
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. press — to push
  15. band — a ring
  16. craft — a skill
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. craft — boats
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. band — a music group

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