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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. object — to protest
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pit — a hole
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. object — a thing
  12. root — of a plant
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rush — hurry
  16. object — an aim
  17. pit — in a race
  18. root — of a word
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. root — the cause
  24. nail — on a finger

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