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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. roll — a cake
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. net — after costs
  7. press — a publisher
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. press — newspapers
  14. net — for catching
  15. fork — in a road
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. roll — a list
  19. press — to push
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. net — in sport
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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