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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. sharp — clever
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mine — for digging

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