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 120 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 · bore · suit · fall · chip · net · firm · march

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. march — the month
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bore — to drill
  5. firm — a company
  6. shower — rain
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — for betting
  9. fall — the season
  10. net — in sport
  11. shower — to wash
  12. firm — steady
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fall — to drop
  15. suit — in cards
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. march — music
  18. net — for catching
  19. bore — to tire
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. march — the month
  23. net — after costs
  24. firm — decided

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