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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. board — to get on
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tube — a container
  9. object — an aim
  10. wound — an injury
  11. object — a thing
  12. snap — to click
  13. tube — the underground
  14. board — a committee
  15. wound — an injury
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. object — to protest
  18. board — a flat piece

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