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: scale · coach · jam · nail · ground · pitcher · can · stick

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. can — to be able to
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — in music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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