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: rush · band · present · pitch · stick · bay · nail · mouse

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. band — a ring
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pitch — completely
  14. present — the time now
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. present — a gift
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rush — hurry
  22. band — a music group
  23. present — there
  24. pitch — a sports field

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