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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fine — all right
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitch — a sports field

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