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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. spell — magic
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. shower — rain
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cue — a signal
  13. branch — a division
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. spell — letters
  20. wax — to grow
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mark — a grade

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