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 120 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: cue · net · hand · tube · bass · stock · nail · hide

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. net — after costs
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bass — low music
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. net — in sport
  10. tube — a container
  11. stock — shares
  12. hand — help
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. tube — the underground
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hand — in cards
  20. net — for catching
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bass — the fish

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