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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pop — to visit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pop — music
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bass — the fish
  16. chest — of your body
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. plane — a tool
  21. chest — of your body
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chest — a box
  24. pop — soda

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