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 116 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: plane · nail · bat · rush · mark · pop · last · club

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pop — music
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. mark — a trace
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. pop — soda
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pop — to visit
  18. last — final
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. club — for golf
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bat — the animal
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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