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: cabinet · bat · wound · can · hand · track · nail · scale

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. track — a song
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. scale — in music
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a path
  10. hand — in cards
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. can — a tin
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bat — the animal
  16. hand — help
  17. can — a tin
  18. scale — size or range
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wound — an injury
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. nail — for a hammer

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