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: spring · mug · staff · nail · trunk · lie · mine · pitcher

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. staff — employees
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mine — for digging
  6. lie — to recline
  7. spring — a coil
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. spring — the season
  17. mug — a face
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spring — of water
  24. mine — an explosive

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