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 · temple · mark · row · toast · spring · mouse · bat

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — bread
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. spring — the season
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. row — to paddle
  17. mark — a trace
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  24. spring — of water

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