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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. squash — to crush
  4. current — of water
  5. key — for a lock
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. content — happy
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. squash — the sport
  14. current — happening now
  15. swing — in golf
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. key — the most important part
  18. content — the amount
  19. key — in music
  20. current — electric
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. deal — to handle

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