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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bass — the fish
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cold — an illness
  5. cold — not warm
  6. net — in sport
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. net — after costs
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. vault — a safe
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bass — low music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. net — for catching
  24. arm — part of the body

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