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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lie — to recline
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. tube — the underground
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — a group
  14. hand — help
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. club — for dancing
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. tube — a container
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. hand — in cards

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