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 116 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: fine · stand · rush · rock · shower · pop · land · sharp

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fine — high quality
  5. land — to come down
  6. rock — music
  7. sharp — clever
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. shower — rain
  10. pop — to visit
  11. stand — to bear
  12. land — ground
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. shower — to wash
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rush — hurry
  17. land — a country
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pop — soda
  20. fine — all right
  21. pop — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rush — to hurry

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