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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — a permit
  3. mark — a grade
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. key — in music
  7. key — for a lock
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mine — for digging
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. charge — a price
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. mark — a trace
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. charge — in control
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. foot — a measure
  22. key — the most important part
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. mine — belonging to me

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