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: bat · shower · bore · chip · rule · rush · rock · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. rule — a law
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rock — a stone
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rush — hurry
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bore — to drill
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rule — government
  17. shower — rain
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bat — the animal
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bore — to tire

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