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 120 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. fine — all right
  5. bass — low music
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. ground — the earth
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. last — final
  14. ground — crushed
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. last — finally
  18. snap — to click
  19. last — to go on
  20. ground — a position
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. fine — high quality
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rash — a series

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