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: can · branch · calf · cabinet · shower · court · stick · rule

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. court — for sport
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. court — of law
  7. shower — to wash
  8. can — a tin
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. court — of a king
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. branch — a division
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rule — a law
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. can — to be able to
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rule — government

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