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 · snap · hide · cabinet · ball · jam · bore · root

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. shower — rain
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. shower — to wash
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bore — to tire
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bore — to drill
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. ball — a dance
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. root — the cause
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. root — of a word
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bore — gave birth

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