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: fine · bound · shower · leaves · wake · saw · bark · spell

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bark — to shout
  3. wake — a trail
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bound — obliged
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. spell — letters
  11. shower — to wash
  12. saw — the tool
  13. spell — a short time
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bound — certain
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. spell — magic
  23. bound — tied together
  24. leaves — lets stay

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