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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cue — a hint
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — for digging
  7. saw — the tool
  8. tube — a container
  9. board — to get on
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. board — a committee
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. tube — the underground
  19. fall — the season
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mine — an explosive

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