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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. net — for catching
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bass — low music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. object — an aim
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. net — after costs
  11. mug — a face
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. key — in music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. key — for a lock
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. net — in sport
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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