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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bass — the fish
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. track — a path
  6. craft — boats
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — to keep track
  10. season — in sport
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. track — a song
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wake — a trail
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. season — of the year
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. can — a tin
  24. pound — a weight

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