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 · rush · bay · temple · bowl · firm · spell · bear

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. firm — a company
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. spell — magic
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. firm — steady
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. shower — to wash
  12. firm — decided
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. spell — a short time
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. shower — rain
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. spell — letters
  24. bear — the animal

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