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 · march · cap · mug · mouse · lash · rule · ruler

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rule — a law
  4. mug — a face
  5. march — music
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. shower — to wash
  17. cap — a lid
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. march — the month
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mug — to rob
  22. march — the month
  23. rule — government
  24. lash — to lash out

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