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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bass — low music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. court — of law
  5. object — to protest
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. spring — a coil
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. club — for golf
  13. object — a thing
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. spring — the season
  16. object — an aim
  17. court — for sport
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. club — a group
  20. court — of a king
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. spring — of water
  23. stem — to come from
  24. club — for dancing

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