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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. net — for catching
  3. current — of water
  4. plane — a tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for dancing
  8. perch — the fish
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. net — after costs
  11. spring — a coil
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. net — in sport
  16. current — happening now
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. current — electric
  20. spring — of water
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. club — for golf
  23. patient — a sick person
  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