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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. shower — to wash
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pitch — completely
  11. shower — rain
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. can — a tin
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lean — to bend
  22. chip — to eat
  23. lean — thin
  24. racket — a loud noise

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