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: pit · shower · rock · wave · bore · press · perch · nail

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rock — music
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. press — to push
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. shower — to wash
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bore — to tire
  18. shower — rain
  19. rock — a stone
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pit — in a race
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. press — newspapers

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