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: shower · pop · drill · root · pound · rest · coach · suit

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. shower — rain
  3. suit — in cards
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pop — to visit
  8. root — the cause
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pop — music
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. suit — clothes
  14. root — of a word
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pop — soda
  17. rest — what's left
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. rest — what's left
  20. suit — to fit
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. root — of a plant
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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