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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. band — a ring
  4. net — after costs
  5. firm — a company
  6. current — happening now
  7. saw — the tool
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. band — a music group
  13. net — for catching
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. firm — decided
  18. net — in sport
  19. bear — the animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. current — electric
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. current — of water
  24. firm — steady

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