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 120 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: racket · cap · staff · suit · nail · bark · mine · pop

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bark — to shout
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. mine — for digging
  9. cap — of ice
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cap — a lid
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. staff — employees
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cap — a hat
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. staff — a stick
  20. pop — soda
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mine — an explosive

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