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: branch · race · net · cue · stand · cabinet · shower · swing

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. stand — to bear
  3. net — after costs
  4. cue — a hint
  5. race — humankind
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. race — a contest
  11. swing — to play on
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. branch — a division
  18. swing — in golf
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. race — the arms race
  21. swing — music
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — in sport
  24. shower — to wash

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