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: spell · tube · shower · track · nail · perch · fine · rush

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. shower — rain
  3. tube — a container
  4. shower — to wash
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. track — a song
  9. perch — the fish
  10. fine — high quality
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. track — a path
  13. spell — letters
  14. rush — hurry
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. fine — all right
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. track — to keep track
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spell — a short time

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