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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. key — in music
  8. rash — hasty
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wound — an injury
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. can — a tin
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. can — a tin
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wound — an injury
  24. ruler — for measuring

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