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: mouse · cabinet · fine · shower · bark · charge · dip · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. charge — in control
  10. shower — to wash
  11. charge — electricity
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. shower — rain
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fine — high quality
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. dip — to sink
  23. charge — a price
  24. bark — to shout

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