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: mate · can · bark · firm · kid · bat · nail · club

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. can — a tin
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. club — a group
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bark — to shout
  13. kid — to tease
  14. mate — a friend
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. club — for golf
  17. firm — decided
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. kid — child
  20. can — a tin
  21. firm — steady
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a partner
  24. firm — a company

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