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: saw · present · cap · wax · shower · clip · club · safe

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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. present — there
  4. cap — a lid
  5. clip — a video
  6. clip — for paper
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. shower — to wash
  9. club — a group
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. cap — a hat
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. club — for golf
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cap — of ice
  18. clip — to cut
  19. present — the time now
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. present — a gift
  22. club — for dancing
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. saw — the tool

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