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: foot · game · rock · season · shower · present · degree · drill

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. drill — army training
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. shower — rain
  5. present — the time now
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. foot — a measure
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — temperature
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. season — in sport
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. present — there
  16. season — of the year
  17. rock — a stone
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. game — wild animals
  20. present — a gift
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rock — music
  23. shower — to wash
  24. foot — part of the body

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