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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. tube — a container
  7. net — for catching
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. net — in sport
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. tube — the underground
  16. net — after costs
  17. perch — the fish
  18. dip — to sink
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. spell — magic
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. nail — on a finger

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