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: rest · bass · nail · saw · current · pitcher · fall · cell

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. fall — to drop
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. rest — what's left
  10. current — electric
  11. fall — the season
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. current — happening now
  16. fall — to drop
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. current — of water
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. cell — in biology
  21. bass — low music
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bass — the fish
  24. cell — a phone

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