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: swing · shower · mug · arm · pound · craft · capital · rash

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. rash — hasty
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mug — a face
  7. pound — a weight
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. shower — to wash
  12. capital — money
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — music
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rash — a series
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. capital — a city
  23. craft — boats
  24. mug — to rob

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