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: row · march · bass · rush · foot · capital · nail · safe

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. capital — money
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rush — hurry
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. row — a line
  11. march — the month
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bass — the fish
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — low music
  19. row — to paddle
  20. march — the month
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. march — music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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