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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rule — a law
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. rule — government
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bank — for money
  17. shower — to wash
  18. wound — an injury
  19. shower — rain
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bank — for money

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