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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for dancing
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pitch — completely
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pit — a hole
  9. saw — the tool
  10. roll — a list
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pit — in a race
  13. club — for golf
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. arm — a part of something

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