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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. firm — decided
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mate — to breed
  5. roll — a cake
  6. lie — to recline
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. firm — a company
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mate — a partner
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. lean — to bend
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bat — the animal
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. roll — a list
  23. firm — steady
  24. lean — thin

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