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 116 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mug — a cup
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rest — what's left
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. kick — in football
  9. vault — a safe
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mug — to rob
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — a face
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. sharp — with an edge

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