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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · mug · straw · scale · nail · net

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mug — to rob
  8. net — after costs
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. net — for catching
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mug — a face
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. net — in sport
  16. scale — size or range
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. scale — in music

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