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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rush — hurry
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. scale — size or range
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. scale — in music
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. straw — dry grass

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