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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. rest — a break
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. row — to paddle
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. perch — the fish
  17. object — a thing
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bass — low music
  24. perch — for a bird

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