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: bore · ball · date · shower · arm · rock · patient · rash

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. ball — a great time
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bore — to drill
  11. shower — to wash
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rock — music
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bore — to tire
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. shower — rain
  22. ball — a dance
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rash — on the skin

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