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: craft · nail · stem · march · cap · rule · shower · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. march — the month
  4. rule — government
  5. craft — boats
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — to protest
  8. shower — rain
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. rule — a law
  13. march — music
  14. cap — a hat
  15. stem — to come from
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cap — a lid
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. shower — to wash
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. march — the month
  23. cap — of ice
  24. nail — for a hammer

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