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: game · hand · can · nail · net · key · present · bank

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. can — a tin
  5. net — after costs
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. hand — in cards
  9. present — the time now
  10. can — a tin
  11. present — a gift
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. key — the most important part
  14. net — for catching
  15. game — a match
  16. game — wild animals
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. key — in music
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. can — to be able to
  21. net — in sport
  22. key — for a lock
  23. present — there
  24. hand — help

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