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: cap · rash · band · temple · shower · cabinet · bore · stem

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. shower — rain
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. cap — of ice
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — to wash
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — hasty
  12. stem — to come from
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. band — a ring
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. band — a music group
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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