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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rock — a stone
  3. last — final
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rock — music
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. club — for golf
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. club — for dancing
  17. last — to go on
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. last — finally
  20. sharp — clever
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. club — a group
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. fan — to cool the air

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