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: drill · file · cap · racket · mug · nail · present · fan

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cap — a hat
  4. present — the time now
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mug — to rob
  7. file — a tool
  8. drill — the tool
  9. present — a gift
  10. mug — a face
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mug — a cup
  15. drill — army training
  16. cap — a lid
  17. file — a document
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cap — of ice
  20. file — a line of people
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. present — there

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