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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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. mine — an explosive
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pass — a permit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pop — music
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mine — for digging
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pop — soda
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. tube — a container
  23. pop — to visit
  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