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: bass · nail · can · date · sharp · club · mine · cap

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. club — for golf
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the fish
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. date — the fruit
  10. can — to be able to
  11. club — for dancing
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — for digging
  16. club — a group
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. cap — a lid
  20. can — a tin
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. can — a tin

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