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: wind · rush · foot · kick · mark · present · fork · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. mark — a trace
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fork — in a road
  8. mark — a grade
  9. kick — in football
  10. shower — to wash
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. present — a gift
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wind — moving air
  19. present — there
  20. foot — a measure
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. present — the time now

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