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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. club — for golf
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. spell — letters
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. club — a group
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. spell — magic
  9. field — farmland
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. field — for sport
  12. pit — in a race
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. field — a subject
  18. pit — a hole
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. club — for dancing
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spell — a short time
  24. hide — animal skin

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