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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bass — the fish
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pop — to visit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bass — low music
  11. pop — music
  12. hand — help
  13. drill — the tool
  14. pop — soda
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — a practice
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. hand — in cards

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