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 · vault · lash · toast · spring · cabinet · land · bowl

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. spring — the season
  3. toast — bread
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. spring — of water
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. spring — a coil
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. shower — to wash
  23. land — ground
  24. shower — rain

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