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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. can — a tin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. prune — to trim
  9. can — a tin
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. file — a document
  12. kid — to tease
  13. drill — army training
  14. rule — government
  15. drill — the tool
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. file — a tool
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. kid — child
  20. file — a line of people
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rule — a law
  23. can — to be able to
  24. drill — a practice

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