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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. cell — in biology
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cell — a phone
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rule — a law
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. snap — to click
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. shower — to wash
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rule — government
  18. shower — rain
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. board — a flat piece

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