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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. tube — a container
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stem — to come from
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. net — after costs
  10. tube — the underground
  11. squash — to crush
  12. net — in sport
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. deal — to handle
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. net — for catching
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pass — to spend time

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