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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  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. mug — a face
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. can — a tin
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mug — to rob
  6. key — for a lock
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. clip — to cut
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mug — a cup
  13. drill — the tool
  14. key — the most important part
  15. clip — a video
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. drill — a practice
  18. key — in music
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. drill — army training
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. wound — an injury
  23. clip — for paper
  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