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 · tear · vault · rest · board · staff · jam · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. board — to get on
  3. rest — what's left
  4. shower — rain
  5. tear — from crying
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. board — a committee
  9. staff — employees
  10. tear — to rip
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. shower — to wash
  14. staff — employees
  15. rest — a break
  16. tear — from crying
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. staff — a stick
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. vault — a safe
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rest — what's left

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