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: bore · rash · pitcher · bass · arm · stick · coach · nail

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rash — a series
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bass — the fish
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bass — low music
  24. arm — part of the body

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