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: field · nail · can · hand · sharp · land · mouse · tube

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. field — a subject
  7. hand — help
  8. field — for sport
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. land — ground
  12. can — a tin
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. field — farmland
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. sharp — clever
  19. tube — the underground
  20. can — a tin
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. hand — in cards
  23. tube — a container
  24. can — to be able to

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