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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. rash — hasty
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — music
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fork — in a road
  11. deal — to handle
  12. rash — a series
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bat — the animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rash — on the skin

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