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 · club · dip · hand · jam · bowl · root · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — help
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. firm — decided
  12. root — the cause
  13. firm — steady
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. club — for dancing
  16. root — of a plant
  17. club — a group
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. root — of a word
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. club — for golf
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. jam — in traffic

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