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: nail · pound · pop · last · key · rash · fan · mouse

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rash — hasty
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. last — finally
  6. pop — to visit
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. key — for a lock
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pop — soda
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pop — music
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — final
  19. rash — a series
  20. key — in music
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — the most important part

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