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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. foot — a measure
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. club — for golf
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. club — a group
  11. rest — a break
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. wound — an injury
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — crushed
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. ground — the earth
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bat — the animal
  24. wound — an injury

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