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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. kid — to tease
  3. mug — a face
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — the sport
  7. current — of water
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. current — electric
  13. land — a country
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. land — ground
  17. squash — to crush
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. kid — child
  21. current — happening now
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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