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 · leaves · nail · press · drill · face · rash · wax

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. face — to point toward
  3. press — newspapers
  4. shower — rain
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rash — a series
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. drill — a practice
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — to wash
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. drill — the tool
  18. wax — to grow
  19. drill — army training
  20. face — to confront
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  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