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 120 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: cap · bark · lash · shower · fan · racket · track · bowl

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. shower — to wash
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. track — a song
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. shower — rain
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. track — a path
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bark — to shout

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