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: nail · prune · stand · lie · bass · club · file · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. file — a document
  3. prune — to trim
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bass — the fish
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. file — a line of people
  11. can — to be able to
  12. file — a tool
  13. club — a group
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. club — for dancing
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bass — low music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. lie — to recline
  22. prune — to trim
  23. club — for golf
  24. can — a tin

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