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 · charge · board · saw · mark · ball · spring · hide

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. ball — a dance
  3. shower — rain
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mark — a grade
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. spring — the season
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. charge — in control
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. shower — to wash
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. spring — of water
  15. board — a committee
  16. ball — a great time
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. charge — a price
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. spring — a coil
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. charge — electricity
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. saw — the tool

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