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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. club — for dancing
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. club — for golf
  10. chip — for betting
  11. row — a line
  12. bass — the fish
  13. ground — a position
  14. bass — low music
  15. ground — crushed
  16. staff — employees
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. chip — to eat
  24. club — a group

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