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 116 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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pound — a weight
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wax — to grow
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. spring — the season
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. spring — of water
  19. firm — decided
  20. spring — a coil
  21. firm — steady
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. firm — a company

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