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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. firm — a company
  11. perch — the fish
  12. march — the month
  13. fine — all right
  14. spring — the season
  15. march — the month
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. march — music
  22. rush — hurry
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. saw — the tool

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