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: sharp · current · lash · bore · shower · mine · object · cap

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. shower — rain
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. current — of water
  6. bore — to tire
  7. cap — a lid
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. cap — a hat
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. object — to protest
  15. current — electric
  16. cap — of ice
  17. sharp — clever
  18. current — happening now
  19. mine — for digging
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mine — an explosive

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