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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. scale — in music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bass — low music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. last — to go on
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. last — finally
  9. roll — a list
  10. rock — music
  11. last — final
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cell — in biology
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. roll — a cake
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bass — the fish
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cell — a phone
  24. nail — for a hammer

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