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: mark · cap · shower · dip · roll · foot · bowl · wake

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. dip — to sink
  6. roll — a list
  7. cap — of ice
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mark — a trace
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wake — a trail
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. roll — a cake
  21. shower — to wash
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. roll — on a roll

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