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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — in cards
  3. last — finally
  4. rock — music
  5. ground — the earth
  6. net — for catching
  7. bulb — for light
  8. last — to go on
  9. rest — what's left
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. rest — what's left
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rest — a break
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ground — a position
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. net — after costs
  20. last — final
  21. net — in sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. hand — help
  24. ground — crushed

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