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: spring · nail · row · deal · arm · mug · rock · fork

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rock — a stone
  5. fork — in a road
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — the season
  14. rock — music
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mug — a face
  17. row — a line
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. row — to paddle
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — to rob
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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