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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. can — to be able to
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. drill — a practice
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. object — to protest
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. spring — the season
  11. drill — army training
  12. spring — of water
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. can — a tin
  17. board — to get on
  18. can — a tin
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. drill — the tool
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. spring — a coil

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