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: club · stock · wave · safe · ball · rash · nail · arm

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ball — a great time
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rash — hasty
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. stock — shares
  12. rash — a series
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stock — goods
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. club — for golf
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. ball — a dance

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