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: bank · object · pit · drill · shower · wound · present · rock

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. present — there
  4. rock — music
  5. wound — an injury
  6. present — the time now
  7. rock — a stone
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wound — an injury
  10. shower — rain
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bank — for money
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. present — a gift
  15. bank — for money
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pit — a hole
  18. object — to protest
  19. shower — to wash
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — a thing
  22. drill — army training
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pit — in a race

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