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 116 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: charge · nail · net · straw · row · lie · pass · club

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. pass — a permit
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lie — to recline
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. charge — in control
  15. club — for dancing
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. row — a line
  18. net — for catching
  19. club — for golf
  20. charge — electricity
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. club — a group
  24. charge — a price

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