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: shower · plane · chip · suit · nail · bass · rash · pitcher

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. shower — to wash
  5. rash — a series
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. chip — to eat
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. plane — a tool
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bass — low music
  21. chip — for betting
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rash — hasty
  24. plane — an aircraft

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