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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bass — low music
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. branch — a division
  11. bore — to tire
  12. track — to keep track
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. sharp — clever
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. sharp — with an edge

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