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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — wild animals
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. spring — the season
  7. chip — to eat
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. game — a match
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — all right
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. spring — a coil
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spring — of water
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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