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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. craft — boats
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rule — government
  19. kick — in football
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rule — a law

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