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: shower · bay · dip · ground · foot · wound · net · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. ground — crushed
  4. shower — rain
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stand — to bear
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. dip — to sink
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. net — after costs
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. net — in sport
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. shower — to wash
  21. net — for catching
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. ground — a position
  24. wound — an injury

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