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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. rock — a stone
  3. spring — a coil
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. saw — the tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. sharp — clever
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cue — a signal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rock — music
  21. cue — for pool
  22. ball — a dance
  23. saw — the tool
  24. spring — of water

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