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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rush — hurry
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. scale — in music
  9. spell — magic
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. staff — a stick
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. prune — to trim
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pass — a permit
  23. spell — letters
  24. nail — on a finger

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