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 120 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. rule — a law
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rule — government
  23. bark — to shout
  24. mark — a trace

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