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: tube · pitcher · race · foot · bound · pit · shower · mug

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. race — a contest
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a cup
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. race — humankind
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bound — tied together
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. race — the arms race
  14. mug — a face
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bound — obliged
  18. shower — to wash
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bound — certain
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. tube — a container

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