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: mug · object · spring · stick · rest · perch · cabinet · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spring — of water
  6. shower — to wash
  7. rest — a break
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. perch — the fish
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mug — to rob
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. spring — the season
  14. object — an aim
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. spring — a coil
  17. object — a thing
  18. rest — what's left
  19. shower — rain
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. object — to protest
  22. mug — a face
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mug — a cup

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