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: can · file · hide · fan · capital · dip · net · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. net — in sport
  4. dip — to sink
  5. capital — money
  6. file — a tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a document
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. capital — a city
  20. net — for catching
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. net — after costs
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. file — a line of people

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