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: mark · jam · current · nail · hand · rush · rock · net

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. current — happening now
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. net — after costs
  7. rock — a stone
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. net — for catching
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. net — in sport
  14. current — of water
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mark — a grade
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rush — hurry
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — in cards
  23. current — electric
  24. rush — a thrill

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