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: press · tube · nail · object · bass · bowl · sharp · wound

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bass — low music
  4. sharp — clever
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bass — the fish
  8. press — to push
  9. object — an aim
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. press — a publisher
  15. object — a thing
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. object — to protest
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. press — newspapers
  21. tube — a container
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wound — an injury

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