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: board · hide · game · fork · rock · charge · dip · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. charge — in control
  3. shower — to wash
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rock — music
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. board — a committee
  10. charge — a price
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. game — a match
  14. charge — electricity
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rock — a stone
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. fork — in a road
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. game — wild animals

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