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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. board — a committee
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. tube — the underground
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. net — for catching
  10. tube — a container
  11. net — in sport
  12. sharp — clever
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. net — after costs
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. board — to get on
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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