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 124 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: arm · nail · shower · date · rock · bulb · board · saw

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. saw — the tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bulb — for light
  15. board — to get on
  16. saw — the tool
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. shower — to wash
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. shower — rain
  21. date — the fruit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. board — a committee
  24. arm — part of the body

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