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 124 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — letters
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. spell — a short time
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bass — low music
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. kid — child
  16. bass — the fish
  17. scale — size or range
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. kid — to tease
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. nail — for a hammer

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