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: nail · arm · bat · lash · board · jam · spring · firm

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. board — to get on
  3. firm — decided
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spring — of water
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. spring — a coil
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. firm — a company
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bat — the animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. firm — steady
  17. board — a committee
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. spring — the season
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. arm — a part of something

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